A happy employee is a productive employee. Good managers have known this for a long time, but it’s only really caught on in the last couple of years, thanks to a growing culture that focuses on employee wellbeing – mostly centered in the tech industry.

There are a number of ways employers can reward their workers and show them that their hard work and dedication are appreciated. Many of these don’t even cost anything, while others are cheap but very effective methods to make your employees feel good about themselves and the organization they are working for.

Pet-friendly Workspaces

People consider their pets a part of the family. We depend on them for emotional support, and we know that, no matter how dark things may be, or how bad we can feel, there is always someone back home who will love us unconditionally.

So, it’s only natural that we want to spend as much time with our furry (or scaly) friends as possible. Which is why more and more businesses opt to have their offices be per-friendly. Of course, this extends only to those pets that are well-behaved and house-trained. You shouldn’t bring your pets to work if they are not spayed or neutered, if they are sick, or if they are simply too loud or hyper for people who want to get their work done.

A Well-stocked Library

Having free books, magazines, and board games that your employees can freely borrow or read during their lunch and coffee breaks is a great way to showcase your care for them. Some of these can – and should – be specialized literature pertaining to what the company does: training manuals, and books that deal with that field of work.

This not only shows your employees that you care about their fun while at work, but that you also invest in their continued education and expertise.

Mental Health Therapy and Classes

Anyone can have mental health issues. It’s often in those times that we feel we aren’t given enough support – either from our family and friends, but especially at work. But it doesn’t have to be like that, managers should take care of how their workers act and feel, not just if they hand in their reports on time.

Having someone to talk to – preferably a professional and certified counselor – can reduce stress, help workers cope with depression and other mental issues. You can either hire a psychologist or psychiatrist on retainer, or hand out coupons for their services. A psych evaluation should also be a mandatory part of the yearly physical check-up.

Courses

Today, there are so many courses online, covering just about any topic or specialization imaginable. Plenty of them are free, but there are also those that are pretty expensive.

You have to invest in your employees. This approach pays off in the long run – if they are happy that you are providing for their training and improvement, they are more likely to work harder and stay on longer.

This doesn’t just apply to online courses, but high school and college-level ones, even helping workers earn their bachelor’s degree.