Happy employees make better workers, reduce turnover and minimize absenteeism- not to mention truly improve the work climate of a business. Keeping the team enthused can be done through any number of cost-efficient manners. Though not every company is Google or Facebook, we can all learn a lot from such successful companies that make employee a morale a strong priority. It's a competitive market for talent. Keep them happy. Using survey tools, it's easy to see what employees want. Take some employee surveys. You'll be surprised by what you discover.

Recognize Special Events:
Birthdays, weddings, the birth of children are significant times in the lives of your workers. Take time to make these moments special. It's a way of creating a personal connection. After all, families and the special things in life are why we go to work in the first place. Don't lose touch of home just because it's the office. Celebrate with the employee. But remember that scene in Office Space, and make sure everyone gets a piece of birthday cake.

Communicate:
Want to know what your employees want? Just ask. Employee surveys can be done quickly and in a cost efficient manner. In fact, survey tools make it possible to instantly do employee surveys in real time, so you get results with aggregated data immediately. Your employees likely have good ideas to share. Ask what's on their minds. While surveys should include yes or no answers for easier data gathering, allow employees to share comments as well. Often, comments will be tell you what you really want to know. Data itself can only communicate so much.

Encourage Work Breaks:
Sometimes, it seems like smokers get all the breaks, but we all need to remember that everyone needs a break, including those of us who don't smoke. Encourage your workers to take breaks every once in a while. Get a breath of fresh air. Stretch the legs. Most of us work around a computer. Getting up and moving around everyone in a while significantly reduces the risk of heart attack. Remember, sitting in place for too long can literally kill you.

Ask Help for Improvements:
Have room in your budget to invest in the office? Talk to your employees first. They most often already know what they could use to make their jobs easier and their lives better. Ask them to share. Using professional tools like survey software, you can quickly take employee surveys to find out what they'd like to see. Spend your budget where it's needed best.

Author's Bio: 

James Musick is the author of this article about survey tools and employee surveys, and he enjoys time at home with his cat Sprinkles.