By helloDarwin
April 14, 2024
Happy Employees: 20 Interesting Services to Improve Your Office Life
Office life has changed a lot in recent years. We've moved from closed offices to cubicles, and then to the trend of open-plan offices. The treatment of employees and the hierarchy of companies also tend to change, as employee happiness is increasingly valued.
For a long time, the focus was on productivity, and the idea of focusing on employee well-being was considered whimsical. However, mentalities have changed, and as many companies began adopting other approaches, studies have shown that the happier and more valued employees feel at work, the more likely they are to stay long and be productive.
While younger generations are known for not staying long in their jobs, positions that allow autonomy, validation, comfort, and that offer personalized services are coveted.
How can you make a difference and ensure employee happiness? Beyond the human aspect and office layout, there are several services that can have a real impact on daily employee satisfaction. We have gathered some examples in this article.
Note: the examples we will cite in this article are mainly located in Montreal but these kinds of services are often available outside major centers.
Here are 20 corporate services to make your employees happy
Food and Drink
Food is a vital need and also a great source of pleasure for many people. Eating healthy and balanced meals, while having access to good quality meals can contribute to the happiness and well-being of employees. As an employer, it is possible to provide meals, snacks, and quality drinks to simplify life at the office.
1) Order a weekly fruit basket
Many companies offer a fruit basket delivery service. This is an excellent choice to replace snacks that contain a lot of sugar and salt. You receive a basket every week, filled with fresh fruits. The selection varies according to the seasons but you always receive the quantity of fruit you have chosen.
Here are two companies that offer this service in the Montreal area:
2) Order healthy meals
Several services now allow you to order delicious and balanced meals, and even to stock up so that employees can choose what they want to eat. The meals are affordable and varied, offering choices for all tastes and most dietary restrictions. Moreover, most companies that offer this kind of service have loyalty programs that allow you to save money.
Here are two companies from the Montreal area that offer this type of service:
3) Allow employees to receive their vegetable basket on site
The popularity of fruit baskets continues unabated. However, picking up said basket can be complicated as drop-off points are sometimes located at inconvenient places or have limited opening hours. To arrive on time, people sometimes have to leave work earlier. As a company, why not become a pick-up point yourself? This will also encourage several employees to adopt the vegetable basket.
In Montreal, Les fermes Lufa offer this service. Far from being just a simple vegetable basket, this company also offers the possibility to order all the groceries for a complete grocery shopping.
4) Install a machine to serve cold water
No more using plastic water bottles! People want to drink a good glass of fresh water, without creating waste. It's refreshing and frankly more pleasant than drinking lukewarm water. Have a water machine installed in your company and you will also notice that employees will drink more water instead of going for sugary drinks. This device will also be very useful and very appreciated during meetings between employees or with visitors.
In the Montreal area, you can contact the company Trusource to buy or rent a water machine suitable for your office.
5) Have a high-quality coffee machine
Canadians are among the biggest coffee consumers in the world, and a large proportion of this consumption takes place at work. Coffee provides
energy and promotes friendly break times. Most companies provide coffee but many stick to a basic machine, with lower quality coffee. Yet, it can be worthwhile to invest in an espresso machine.
In the city, offices are surrounded by large chains like Starbucks and small friendly cafes. Even if they have access to a small coffee machine at the office, many people decide to buy their drink at these places, to have a better quality coffee. However, in the long run, these people spend a lot of money and time in line.
If you install a high-end coffee machine at the office and provide good quality beans, employees will save both time and money, which represents a considerable asset. Some companies with many employees will even go as far as hiring a barista full-time or part-time who will work on-site.
Looking for a good service to rent or buy coffee machines, without having to spend a fortune? The company Café Napoléon offers this service in the Montreal area.
6) Install a healthy vending machine
Vending machines are convenient but they are often filled with unhealthy foods. Although these foods please people, they are not very good for productivity as they can cause fatigue and digestion issues. That said, most people want and need to eat snacks and small meals throughout the day, and the concept of vending machines can then be very interesting.
Indeed, a Montreal company named Nature Express offers a service to rent vending machines filled with healthy snacks.
Work Organization
In a company, there are different working methods and approaches. As long as everything works properly, this generally does not cause problems. However, there are tools and services that can simplify people's tasks. Here are some services you might subscribe to to improve work organization:
7) Have your office supplies delivered
Even though a large proportion of business activities now take place on computers, office supplies still find their use, and many people will need pens, sheets, binders, dictionaries, printer ink, envelopes, office equipment, and so on. Instead of sending someone to shop in-store, why not have these supplies delivered?
The company Office Supplies Denis allows you to order your supplies online and receive them quickly.
8) Offer task organization and management tools (see article)
Task management represents a daily challenge in companies. Everything happens faster these days, and it is not always easy to stay on top to remain effective and productive. Fortunately, many tools and applications have been created to meet different needs. For example, you can use an organization tool to create to-do lists, a management tool to distribute tasks within a team, or an application to promote concentration.
Office Decor and Environment
As we often spend at least 40 hours per week in the office, it is preferable that it presents a pleasant environment. Plants, artwork, motivational messages, here are some tips to enhance the decor and make office life even more pleasant.
9) Rent artwork to decorate the office
Working in a beautiful environment, what could be more pleasant? It is scientifically proven that the presence of artwork in a workspace will have a positive impact on employees. You do not have a large budget to dedicate to buying artwork? L'Artothèque Montréal allows you to rent artwork at very affordable rates. You can choose from over 3000 works, with very varied styles and some of the most famous Quebec painters being represented.
10) Personalize the dishes
One of the most common and recurring problems in a company is the dishes. Plates piling up, stolen cups, lack of forks. These rather mundane situations can lead to major frustrations over time, especially when no one dares to admit their guilt. To prevent cup theft and dishes from accumulating in the sink, why not have the plates, bowls, and cups personalized? This way, people will not dare to leave them lying around and will be responsible for their own dishes.
11) Put motivational posters on the walls
More than just a simple decor element, motivational posters serve to send positive messages to employees. Even if some of these messages may appear cliché at first, they contribute to valuing people and cultivating the company spirit.
Here is a place where you can find decorative adhesives:
12) Add more plants
Green plants have several benefits, both in terms of aesthetics and improving air quality. They are also very pretty, adding life to the decor. They require care but generally, provided one is disciplined, it's a task that several people will be happy to add to their schedule.
In Montreal, the company Plantzy offers a service for office environments, with sets of plants, team building activities, employee gifts, and so on.
Well-being
Work is health, humorously claimed the singer Henri Salvador. Unfortunately, this is not always true because even if we carry out tasks that we are passionate about, they are too often sedentary and can lead to physical problems. That's why body care and exercise activities can do a lot of good for employees.
13) Offer massages to employees
Office life creates its share of physical problems. Working at the computer all day can cause a lot of body tension and it's not a lifestyle that promotes health. To take care of employees while promoting well-being and productivity, you could offer them massage therapy, once a week or once a month.
Here are two companies that travel to your offices to offer massages:
14) Offer sports activities
In the same vein, most people do not exercise enough because they lack time and their full-time job is sedentary. To encourage people to move more without their schedule becoming too overloaded, why not offer sports activities? Yoga classes, crossfit, group outings, in addition to contributing to people's fitness, these activities could turn into team building efforts. Without necessarily turning your office into a gym, you can offer these services to employees.
The company Cardio Plein Air offers training programs in parks. These programs are personalized according to the needs and preferences of the participants. You will certainly find a park located near your company where training can take place!
15) Set up a rest area
A few years ago, the idea of allowing employees to nap at the office might have seemed surprising, even whimsical. However, studies have proven how much this allows for increased productivity and improved health. We all lead increasingly busy lives, and these precious moments of rest can have a major impact on several spheres of our lives.
If you lack space to create a rest area, why not opt for hammocks? These are versatile and can be installed anywhere. You can equip yourself at La maison du Hamac, located in Montreal.
16) Offer the services of a stylist
Dress codes have changed a lot in recent years and although casual style is more often accepted, well-groomed attire always has a very positive impact on the company's image and the self-confidence of employees. To assist employees in terms of clothing, why not offer them a consultation with a stylist and shopping sessions?
Based in Montreal, stylist Patricia Trépanier from Trépanier image & style offers this service for men.
Entertainment
Playing while working? Why not? You can organize game evenings or afternoons, or reserve a space where you will install toys and board games
for all ages and tastes.
17) Rent games
The company Randolph is known for its playful pubs, friendly board games, and shops. Did you know that you could also rent games there? At the Villeray branch, you can choose from a varied selection of board games and toys, all at an accessible price.
Education and Knowledge
If your employees are stimulated, they will be happier. Make sure they are always learning and getting to know themselves as human beings. You will see that they will be happier, more productive, and that they will share constructive ideas.
18) Bring relevant speakers
Invite speakers to your offices or organize a special day for your employees, with one or more speakers following specific themes. In addition to being interesting, these conferences can be very motivating and can create team-building opportunities.
Consult the speakers' bureau Orizon to find speakers who might be relevant in your field and to book a date.
Quality of Life and Commuting
Although we often consider them as separate entities, work and external life are inherently linked. We spend a large part of our life getting to work, coming home, thinking about work, etc. Some services can help employees simplify their commutes, both in the context of their work and outside, which will impact both their work and their life outside.
19) Car sharing vehicle
The car-sharing company Communauto offers a very interesting corporate service, especially for business trips. You can choose the package that suits you and designate a certain number of employees who will have access to this service. You have access at all times to more than 1200 vehicles. This represents savings for the company and a very simple service for employees.
20) Bike repair
Many employees commute by bike? Encourage them to continue this good habit by having a company come on-site to perform tune-ups and repairs. The company Vélivelo Mobile organizes company days where they come on-site to do repairs and adjustments. This will prevent employees from having to travel by themselves, and you will make many happy at the same time!
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