Employees don’t want to work late. At least not most of them. However, there are a few people that would like to work late for extra pay and for the ability to progress up the promotional ladder. But why should they when you don’t provide a different and in some ways a better environment for them? Working late is a tall order for most employees. They have families they have to attend to, make dinner, run errands and just live a balanced lifestyle in general. Those that do want to work late, are your stars. They love what they do just a little bit more than the average person you employ. So why not provide them with a reason to stay and work late when you request?

Dinner’s on me

Some people are just made of different stuff. They’ll happily eat a cold lunch sandwich at 10 pm just so they can sit at their desk and get some extra work done. They’re tired and sleepy, but they keep themselves away somehow. As the owner of the business, you should provide them with a dinner of some kind. You could order from a business caterer and give them a hot meal of some kind. Caterers will come to your place of work and drop the food off so you can heat it up and serve it to your late-night crew. Make them some fresh dark roast coffee and go around to each person, handing them their cup face to face. Some extra treats like ice cream and cake are welcome too because everyone needs a sugar high when they’re trying not to fall asleep and get a report done.

Source ashleykelnhofer

Relaxed and laid back

Equally as important is giving them a nicer work environment. Turn the heat up and let them relax a little. Play some music and create a more relaxed laid back atmosphere. If your employees have already been working for 8 hours in a tense office, trying to reach a deadline, they don’t need the same office atmosphere for another 2 or 3 hours. If you’re really burning the midnight oil, then you should also offer them a bit of time to play games. If you need them to stay late until about 10 pm, you can have 2 hours of work and then 30-minutes of 1 hour of play, finished off with 2 hours of work again. It bolsters morale and helps workers to bond.

You’ve got their back

Working late comes with its own challenges. Not all of them are welcome either. Late-night burglaries will put a stop to anyone wanting to work late in the future. A simple solution would be to fit IP cameras all around and in your business. You have the choice of 2MP and 4MP, as well as the bubble and static camera options. By strategically placing them, you can cover all the space in your office and reassure workers that everything is being watched.

Safety, fun, and bonding are just some of the rewards late-night workers should get. It’s hard to convince employees they should stay and work late, but providing them with a hot dinner and some games, will win them over.