Ecommerce contains a lot of moving parts. From internet marketing to keep up with the supply chain, it’s vital that employees are happy and maintain good morale, regardless of department.
No matter how small or large an e-commerce company is, there are actionable steps to take to improve overall employee satisfaction to improve retention and assert an employee’s value. This connection is priceless, especially in an industry focused on sales where quantitative data often overshadows appreciation.
1. Gather a Baseline
It’s impossible to know where to begin when improving the happiness of your e-commerce workforce if you don’t know their current standing. You can measure employee happiness in an e-commerce outfit regardless of whether operations are local or worldwide by considering these questions:
- Are you excited to come to work every day? Why or why not?
- Have you considered looking for other employment, and what would make you stay?
- Do you have any friends or family whom you’re envious of a perk or benefit they have in their workplace?
- Do you feel engaged throughout your shift and satisfied when the day ends?
- Are you clear on personal and company goals, and are you driven to progress toward them?
Send out surveys or set up individual feedback meetings to gather data. This can help identify problem areas or gaps in employee treatment or benefits. Additionally, using innovative tools like Thankbox can facilitate gathering feedback and expressions of gratitude in a unique, personalized manner, enhancing the sense of value among team members.
2. Remind Staff How to Flourish
Many employees feel stuck in their current employment because of comfort from a long tenure or feeling like there’s no room for advancement. Never assume every employee is content with their position. Discuss their aspirations and provide assistance to help them climb so they don’t feel they’ve hit a dead-end. Gently remind employees of opportunities throughout the company for individuals to continue upward momentum or experience other positions.
Sometimes it isn’t even about progression — it’s about options. If burnout hits, lateral moves can motivate employees to expand their skill sets or try something new. They may find every other aspect of their job fulfilling — but even that can’t cure boredom. If employees aren’t happy with where they are, find a way to reinvigorate their contribution.
3. Brainstorm Perks
Employees want office-provided perks as part of their work experience. This doesn’t have to be exclusively physical benefits like updated office equipment or gift cards. Consider offering short mental health staycations, recharge days or extended breaks periodically to reinforce how much a company values employee well-being.
An e-commerce company could also consider perk programs to drive healthy employee competition and self-motivated growth. For example, reaching individual key performance indicator (KPIs) goals monthly would feel less stressful if an optional reward was a temptation. It’s also a great way to measure work-related milestones to celebrate as a company.
4. Remind Employees Why They’re There
Your workforce will feel happier about their position if they feel they have value. Whether an employee’s goal is to reinforce intrinsic value or feel they’re contributing to global betterment, supporting those emotions is essential for a more satisfied workforce. This reminder of their assistance shouldn’t feel forced. Ideally, an employer can incorporate it seamlessly into their workday.
Employers can integrate glowing customer feedback in emails or tangible statistics on how their work impacts the world. For example, if an employee suggested starting a recycling plan, let them know how they improved the company and the environment. Too often, employees feel they are replaceable — it’s time to crush this mentality so every e-commerce can have an optimistic staff.
5. Promote Genuine Company Culture
Company culture can sound like a buzzword, but if incorporated correctly, it can be a game-changer in a professional atmosphere. A business can cultivate a company culture that’s recognizable by employees by:
- Providing balanced feedback with constructive critiques and praise
- Encouraging employees to have a work-life balance
- Creating quarterly goals that allow employees from every department to contribute equally
- Hosting employee activities such as dinners and events they actually want to attend
- Support charitable organizations that support company values and employee interests
The more a company’s vision aligns with the employees, the more reinforced the culture will become. Employees who work for employers can connect with values outside of work; their happiness will increase from more positive associations.
6. Incite Curiosity
Offering professional development and continued education options for employees can make a difference, but it only matters if employees care about the subjects. Humans are motivated to educate themselves if naturally drawn to the topic — piquing curiosity. Ask employees what would make them more involved in the sector if they had access to more information.
For e-commerce, you could offer books or seminars on modern trends like dropshipping or how machine learning could influence the e-commerce. Others may be more interested in soft skills like time or stress management. The more curated it is to an employee’s needs, the greater the chance they can take advantage of that resource and learn more. Therefore, they feel more content about their position.
7. Trust Employees
Though some positions require more oversight than others, nothing discourages employees more than if their supervisors do not believe they can perform. There are ways to analyze performance without micro-managing staff. Encouraging autonomy in the workplace while implementing intelligent technologies to gather analytics or devoting time to involve yourself with production will naturally reveal process improvements without making employees paranoid. This is especially important during busy seasons as volume increases, and shifts lengthen.
This is the time to analyze communications infrastructure to see if everyone has access to who they need for help — do employees have agency and know where to get assistance?
Another way to show you trust employees, is by asking them about their workload. Are many feeling overworked? Maybe it’s time to staff and re-delegate responsibilities so everyone feels more balanced. Inquiries like this demonstrate employer-to-employee respect.
If employees are underperforming, that requires specialized attention and care to adjust habits and behaviors. If a company instills a trusting workplace philosophy beforehand, any necessary one-on-one improvement plans can occur constructively.
Employee Happiness in E-Commerce
The happier the staff of your e-commerce business is, the better the company performs. Passionate and dedicated employees are a direct result of a caring and attentive employer. No matter the seasonal stressors or new trends changing the landscape of online shopping, the contentment of employees will always be a constant contributor to a flourishing bottom line.
