Employees who look forward to going to work each day will do a better job. Feeling like a valuable part of the team and being recognized for their contributions is something most employees place very high in their list of job desires. Employers can facilitate this by ensuring a fair workplace where teamwork is stressed and grievances are quickly and fairly remedied. Suggestions made by employees should be considered and the employee given recognition if implemented.

Another good way to make employees feel like something more than a spoke in the wheel is to allow them flexible schedules. This promotes a feeling that their work is valued more than merely their presence. Employees who can somewhat set their own schedules come to work to work, and not just to punch the clock and serve their time. There are many ways for a business to do this and often companies find that flexible schedules work better for productivity also.

No one wants to come to work every day into a Machiavellian court. Office politics are among the most complained about negative work factors. Teamwork should be stressed and backstabbing not tolerated. Most people have a natural tendency toward fairness and when they aren’t seeing it they tend to become jaded and less productive.

Employees also want to know exactly what is expected of them. They don’t want to work in an environment that gives expects them to use their judgment and then punishes them if their judgment is not what management had in mind. Clear goals and expectations are always better.

When judging an employee’s performance, managers should use clear, transparent factors such as missed work, met deadlines, peer ratings, etc. This goes a long way in promoting a feeling of fairness in workers and eliminates the feeling that some people are getting special treatment. Prominently display rating factors and their results. These evaluations should be updated regularly and high performing employees should be rewarded.

Employees are not inherently disgruntled like many managers like to think. But they will quickly become disillusioned if they feel they are being treated unfairly or that their contributions are taken for granted. An office that works hard to eliminate these negative factors will be a productive office.