Whether you think that the Pareto Principle is hogwash or not, it’s a fact that happy employees make everything in your business better. Free massages, nap rooms, lunchtime yoga, and game rooms all sound great, but let’s face it your business might not be Google-sized just yet.

As one of the top Accounting & Financial Recruiting firms in St. Louis, we are privy to what makes a great workplace environment. So, we sat down and researched the most effective and free, yes FREE, ways that you can keep employees happy.

Recognize Greatness

Talk to enough people and you’ll often hear, “I work my tail off, but nobody knows”. It’s time to change that. Sure, time is money, but how long does it really take to pick one person a week to send a thank you email or walk up and shake their hand? Choose something specific that they’ve done rather than just a general “thanks for everything you do”. Trust me, it will mean so much more to them.

Open Your Door

While it might seem nice to have an office full of people that never ask questions or make suggestions, the reality is that no one works in a vacuum. Employees want to know what’s going on with the greater company, and they are often full of ways to make the workplace more productive and enjoyable. Communication is key to a happy, healthy work environment.

Let Them Focus

Does that office-wide email really need to be sent? Is this meeting really necessary?  New research has found that “ … only one in four emails is essential for work”, and only “ … 14 percent of work emails were considered critically important”. Also consider that working professionals “lose 31 hours per month to unproductive meetings” Giving your employees time to focus on the important aspects of their daily work shows respect, improves productivity, and most importantly doesn’t cost a dime.

Promote from Within

People become easily discouraged when they feel that there are no opportunities for advancement within an organization. Meet regularly with employees to offer constructive feedback and discuss how they can move up in the company. All the knowledge gained from working your way up from the mailroom to the boardroom is invaluable.

Work from Home

Being able to start your day without the hassle of traffic is one of the greatest gifts you can give.  If the opportunity is there, consider letting employees work from home once a week or month. While the face-to-face collaboration of an office is great, so is working from home getting things done with fewer interruptions.