Being a great leader does not mean being bossy, unreachable and unfriendly.
Being a great leader does not mean being bossy, unreachable and unfriendly. The time for this type of boss has passed. With the increasing focus on mental health in society, workers value happiness and comfort above many other things. It may sound old-fashioned, but care for employees is a real investment you must keep an eye on.
5 Free Ideas for Taking care of Your Employees
We already talked about it several times: taking care of your team is key for your company to thrive. If your employees know that the company is there for them, they will be there for the company. It’s a win-win process.
There are many ways to show that you care about your employees – and you don’t always need to spend money! Sometimes a simple change of attitude is enough. Take a look at our 5 ways to take care of your employees for free:
- Showing care for their personal life. Of course, avoid meddling too much. But asking your employees about their life, giving them help if they need it… it makes a difference. Remember that they spend several hours of their day working to get your ideas off the ground. Get to know the people who are building your company.
- Being transparent. Leading means having uncomfortable conversations – and that doesn’t mean you should be blunt! But lying will bring nothing but distrust. No relationship can last without trust, not even working relationships. If they ask you for feedback about their work, be honest and clear. It’s another way to take care of your employees.
- Being reasonable. Sometimes it is important to be flexible. If an employee meets their objectives and asks for time off to fulfil obligations or some facilities such as telecommuting, consider it. It’s important to be firm, but you also need to know when it’s time to give permission. It will help your employees feel more confident.
- Greeting and recognising achievements. We know this is time-consuming, but something as simple as sending an email when the company achieves a goal can be a big help. Congratulating employees when they have achieved targets, recognising joint achievements and, above all, giving positive reinforcement, can go a long way.
- Helping with work. Sometimes getting down in the mud is a good way to see how the company really works. In order to see what works, what doesn’t and what needs to be improved, there is nothing better than spending a day with employees. You can even offer to help with their tasks. It will make you seem more approachable and knowing their work first hand will make communication easier later on.
3 More Ideas to Take Care of Your Employees
When you have extra profit, what better way to invest it than in your own team? Spending money on your employees will always bring benefits, because they will be happier and more comfortable.
Take a look at these 3 ideas for investing money in your team:
- Team building. There are many ways to build a team. Think about joint activities, such as scape rooms, casual Fridays, holiday celebrations… But also encourage taking time out of the day for socialising, perhaps ten minutes to just chat. Another good idea could be to plan meals, not only on special occasions but perhaps also on a monthly basis.
- Extra benefits. This is the easiest way to take care of your employees. Although it is not the only one and should be combined with others, it is always a good way to show your care for your employees. Gym vouchers, personal trainers, mental health support, retirement plans… Other ideas could be medical or dental insurance and, of course, encouraging training.
- Pay fair. Last but not least, it is of course key to pay your employees fairly. Check out what the typical salaries are in their position and make sure that there are possibilities for financial growth to avoid demotivation.
Covid care package ideas for employees
During COVID-19, employee well-being has been in question, and priorities have shifted. Safety and happiness are now at the centre of the conversation. And, as a leader, it is your responsibility to ensure that your employees are well.
That starts with good team health. Although it may seem that way, the pandemic is not over. Demonstrating to your employees that their good health is a priority for the company will not go unnoticed – and it can save you a few scares! Why not prepare a covid care package? You can include:
- Free masks. Ideally, provide your employees with several masks per week. Although it may be a high cost, the benefits will be high too. You will prevent possible mishaps due to contagion.
- Mask protectors. This is a useful gift for your employees to keep their half-used masks when they stop for lunch. You print the company logo on it.
- Hand sanitizers. Small hand sanitizers are very important to maintain good hygiene in the company.
- COVID tests. A great idea to prevent possible infections is to provide your employees with several quick tests. This way, it will not be necessary for them to leave home in order to get tested if they are not feeling well.
- Moisturizing hand cream. Constantly cleaning hands can dry them out. A moisturiser can help keep them in good condition.
Why taking care of employees is important
All these ideas aim to improve your relationship with your employees. This is crucial in office jobs. The company will benefit because several studies affirm that the productivity of a happy worker is always higher. So, the company’s retention rate goes up when the employee is comfortable. It is always good news when people want to stay in your company.
In addition, taking care of your employees’ health, both mentally and physically, will help them take less sick leave. Workplace withdrawal will decrease and the company will be a happier and more pleasant place to work. Who wouldn’t want to work in a place like that?
If your company is the perfect place for an employee looking for a nice place to develop, why not advertise your vacancies on our website? We’ll help you find the best candidates to grow and they’ll be happy to be part of a safe and thriving place. Let’s work together.
See more:
- Caring for employees will become more important than ever in the next years. Find out other trends that will shape the future of recruiting.
- If you want to take care of employees, it’s important to do it from the beginning. That’s why you can brush up on how to conduct an online job interview.
- If you want candidates to find you, taking care of your employees is just the first step. Discover more ways to attract candidates.
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