No matter what type of business you own, it's important to acknowledge that your customers are the key to your company's growth and success. Because your employees are responsible for satisfying your customers and encouraging their loyalty, it follows that happy employees make happy customers. Find out why customers and employees are so closely connected to your company's success and learn how to make both happier.
Why Happy Employees and Happy Customers Are Connected
Satisfied employees and customers are linked in several key ways, especially in industries where the two groups interact regularly. Happy employees are empowered to do the following:
- Build stronger relationships with customers, which can increase client loyalty and make a direct impact on profit.
- Offer more creative customer service, which makes clients feel valued as individuals and can lead to a greater sense of satisfaction.
- Provide more knowledgeable service, which can instill a greater sense of trust and encourage customers to purchase.
- Show the company in its best light, thanks to their positive attitude and satisfaction with the business.
Business owners in almost every industry have recognized the link between happy customers, happy employees, and a successful business. For example, Southwest Airlines has put employees first for decades and regularly receives top ratings in the airline industry. Along the same lines, companies like Trader Joe's, Costco, and Johnson & Johnson encourage employees to have positive interactions with customers, leading to happy employees, satisfied customers, and continued business growth.
Whether you work in retail, food and beverage, travel and tourism, or professional services, you can benefit from the happy employees, happy customers link. As a business owner, you can see significant financial benefits when you encourage employee happiness. You're less likely to have frustrated employees who produce subpar work, and you won't have to invest in replacing poorly performing employees nearly as often.
7 Ways to Make Employees Happier
If your employees could use a boost, you can try a wide range of tactics to increase their happiness levels. Review the tips below to see where your business is lacking and where you could make the most substantial improvements.
1. Demonstrate Support for Employees
One of the easiest and most effective ways to make employees happy is to show that you support them. Make a point of getting to know your employees and demonstrating interest in their well-being. Provide routine feedback, so they know how they're performing, and let them know that they can talk with you about problems at work. Simply building genuine, supportive relationships with your employees can go a long way toward boosting their overall job satisfaction.
2. Create a Productive Work Environment
It's tempting to create a fun workplace, but if your employees can't do good work or finish jobs on time, they're likely to feel frustrated. Rather than focusing on fun, prioritize productivity to increase employee satisfaction. Consider improving your workplace by stocking up on essential supplies, setting up quiet spaces for employees to decompress, and allowing them to personalize their spaces as they see fit.
3. Reward Your Employees
When you really want to make your employees happy, reward them for a job well done. While your company may provide bonuses when employees exceed quotas, remember that not all rewards have to be monetary.
Think about rewarding your employees by highlighting their accomplishments in the monthly newsletter, giving them the best parking spot for a week, treating their team to lunch, or allowing them to take the afternoon off. If you aren't sure what your employees would appreciate most, ask them directly.
4. Provide Adequate Training for Employees
Unless you regularly hire overqualified employees, there's a high chance that new hires will join your company without the training they need to do their jobs. To ensure that they do the best they can at work, train them to do their jobs effectively. When you provide adequate training, you can help your employees feel more confident and capable, which can lead to more efficient work and better interactions with customers.
5. Offer Development and Growth Opportunities
Providing training can help get your employees up to speed on their current jobs, but you don't have to stop there. Consider providing professional development opportunities, too. Hosting lunchtime seminars or educational workshops gives your employees a chance to acquire new skills and advance their education. With effective professional development, you can even prepare employees for promotions, which can make them happier while benefiting your business at the same time.
6. Invest in Technology
Most jobs require at least some work that's repetitive or tedious. When almost all of your employees' work is monotonous, however, they're at risk of becoming bored or frustrated. To make their jobs easier and improve their workday, consider investing in advanced technology, such as programs that automate simple tasks to software and apps that help employees accomplish more. Making this investment can give your employees an opportunity to do their jobs better, helping them feel more satisfied with the process.
7. Request Employee Feedback
For most business owners, it's easy to deliver feedback to your employees without asking for any in return. If you want to make your employees happy, however, consider requesting their input. You can hand out anonymous forms asking for feedback about job satisfaction, happiness with the company, and even ideas for improving the workplace. After reviewing your employees' feedback, you might have even more ideas for improving their happiness.
If your business model doesn't prioritize your employees' happiness, your company may not be as successful as it could be. Put the tips above to work to see how happy employees can make happy customers, which in turn can make your business even more successful.
