How to Make Your Small Business a Pleasant Place to Work

[This article was written by Lizzie Weakley.]

It’s often said that if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life. When your small business has a comfortable, positive atmosphere, your employees are more likely to get that feeling. The result is more productivity and creativity, making the business successful for everyone. Here are four ideas for fostering that type of “feel” at your small business.

Strike the Right Tone

Some policies and procedures are nonnegotiable, with no room for latitude. Many others, though, can be viewed with more leniency. You should never foster or tolerate any deviations that can impact product quality or customer service, but it’s also beneficial to let your workers feel like they can create their own solutions or simply express themselves without fearing that they’ll run afoul of procedures.

Keep Facilities Clean

Nobody wants to work in a dirty environment. It is depressing, and it makes people feel unappreciated. If clients visit your business, they won’t be impressed with the appearance if it’s not clean and shiny. Because it’s inefficient to expect workers to clean their own work spaces, a better option is hiring cleaning services NYC to spruce things up on a regular basis will not only inspire pride in the workplace, it could also cut your sick time costs by helping to reduce allergy problems.

Make Time for Fun

The hardest of hardliners see any sort of recreation on the job as a waste of time that could have otherwise been used for production. However, research and experience have shown that when employees have the chance to do something fun on the job, their morale improves and they become better workers. If an extended Friday lunch break with karaoke is too much for you, at least find a way to make ordinary tasks a little entertaining once in a while.

Shake Things Up

Complacency is a powerful force. It smothers innovation and improvements, and it’s often born when workers feel they are in a rut. Sometimes a simple change of scenery can help, like relocating desks or rearranging work areas. New paint or other decor can also create some energy. Some workplaces have even been successful by introducing a cat or dog to the office. Just make sure no one is allergic!

Small businesses have the unique ability to implement changes easily. When there is a need to make the workplace more comfortable, it’s very easy to do. Your business can achieve these goals and others like them with minimal effort–and maximum results.

Author Bio:

Lizzie Weakley is a freelance writer from Columbus, Ohio. In her free time, she enjoys the outdoors and walks in the park with her three-year-old husky, Snowball.