In-house day care services, exercise rooms and healthier vending machines are just a few of the ideas employers are using to keep good employees by reducing stress.
Such programs also keep health costs down, which is good because in addition to salaries and insurance, some perks can be expensive.
But we need employees just like employees need jobs. So how can you tip the scales to make it more beneficial to work with your company and still keep employee-related expenses down?
Occupational therapy is one way.
Occupational therapy - help in healing from the job standpoint - comes in many forms - from handing out stress balls to something as simple as moving furniture from a window so employees can see outside. Yes, they may spend time gazing out the window, but the downtime would be minimal compared with boosting their morale. Sunlight alone can boosts morale. Whatever can help reduce stress on the job is where occupational therapy can help.
What if your staff works in a space without windows? Then hang large pictures of the sun and add lighting. It really makes a difference, and the employees would love you for it.
Look around your office. Listen to the staff. What is the consistent complaint, and what can you do about it?
One company listened to its staff and found out the women on the night shift hated the employee parking in the back because it was dark and scary. So they allowed them to park in the front where customers usually park. This didn't cost them anything and made the women happy.
Have you heard of secret Santa, where someone buys an employee a gift without the employee knowing who? I tried this years ago and it worked wonders. At the time, I worked for a real estate company with fewer than 15 employees.
For 15 business days every employee had a morale-boosting day where everyone in the office would give them a small token of appreciation. There were only two rules - keep costs under $5 and no gag gifts.
No gag gifts because a gift meant to be funny may not be humorous for some people. The gifts were creative - from a small plant, homemade cards to baked bread. Everyone had a great time.
Interestingly, during those 15 days no one was absent. Everyone wanted to see what "goodies" were brought to be shared by all. This was done once or twice a year in the spring and summer when employees would rather be outside then inside working.
This is one example of reducing stress while increasing morale. And it didn't cost the company anything.
Another example of occupational therapy is "me time," which is earned by an employee. For example, if they work 90 days without absenteeism or tardiness, then they earn points toward "me time" where they can take up to four hours to run errands, etc. It's their time to do what they want.
When an employee no longer has vacation time or he or she is a new hire, "me time" works wonders for morale. And this is something they can control - again, at very little costs to the company.
These are just a few ideas to keep morale high and employee expenses down. You can come up with more.
Want to get creative and score big points with your employees? Then throw an occupational therapy creative idea party. Have a prize or other reward for the best idea. The reward must be big enough so that everyone would at least try to come up with an idea.
Remember, working can still be fun when morale is high.
Grace Thomas is a residential and commercial real estate consultant with Prudential/Detrick Realty.
Original Print Headline: Occupational therapy can boost morale
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