Happy employees create a more productive, positive work environment. When morale is low, workers have little reason to give their best performance.

Whether your company is going through a rough time or you just want to forge a better work environment, these six simple things can help boost employee morale and productivity.

1. Make an Effort to Appreciate Employees

Appreciate your employees, and they will be more inclined to stick around. Recognize birthdays, and send gifts for important life events, like weddings and births.

When employees feel cared for and appreciated, they will give more to your cause.

Remember, your employees are the lifeline of your business. Without them, your company wouldn’t be able to grow and thrive. Appreciate them and make them feel like a part of the family.

2. Make Sure They Understand the Importance of Their Contribution

Employees want to feel like their efforts are contributing to the company’s core mission in some way. Everyone needs to feel that they have a purpose.

Make sure that your employees understand the importance of their contribution to the company and how their work is helping to fulfill your organization’s mission.

3. Keep Equipment Maintained and Updated

When operations are running smoothly, employees can do their jobs without frustration and productivity can improve. Forcing your employees to use outdated equipment that’s poorly maintained shows that you don’t care for your workers or your company’s operations.

Invest in new and advanced equipment that will improve productivity and help your employees perform to their highest potential. Equipment can be anything from the machines you use to manufacture products to office computers.

And if you have company cars or trucks, maintenance becomes even more important. Modern, well-maintained vehicles can help prevent car or truck accidents that can cause severe injuries and lower employee morale.

Accidents will also lower productivity and cost you money in workers’ compensation claims.

4. Recognize Achievements

Some managers are quick to point out issues and failures, but rarely praise employees for their achievements. Of course, not all managers are this way, but those that may unknowingly be harming employee morale.

Recognize employees who receive good feedback from customers or clients. When employees feel appreciated for their hard work, they will continue providing a high level of service.

Implementing a feedback system can help you collect comments from customers or clients. Pass on positive feedback to your employees either privately or during team meetings. Negative feedback should also be passed on, but in a private manner. Embarrassing employees by scolding them in front of the team will only lower morale and leave team members feeling unappreciated.

5. Make Fun a Priority

Work/life balance is becoming an increasingly important topic in the business world. Sure, there’s work to be done, but does the workplace need to be serious? If your workers feel chained to their desks five days a week, 52 weeks a year, they may start to hate coming to work.

Some of the fastest-growing companies in the United States have one thing in common: They make fun a priority.

Utah-based Vivint throws huge summer parties for their employees. Property Solutions plans a winter retreat each year.

6. Promote Internally

When vacancies in the company open up, promote from within instead of hiring new talent. Learn the skills and talents of your employees, and give them the opportunity to move up in the company when an appropriate position becomes available.

Employees will have reason to stick around and give you their best performance if they know they have the opportunity to advance in the company. When workers feel as if they are in a dead-end position, they will be more inclined to leave and give you their bare minimum effort.