How to deal with socially un-happy employees?

[Killermen962]

I have a employee whom is happy in everything except socially... I removed all the cubicle walls in her office to try and help but she just keeps demanding raises to work under "These conditions" of having no social life at work. I have no idea how to deal with this employee as she is currently my only designer at the moment. She likes everybody on her team/in the room but she only gets a social boost when she takes a water break with a co-worker which doesn't help too much and doesn't happen often.

I made a meeting room on the second floor but I have no idea how to use it, do I need to "host a meeting" or is it something automated?

Edit: I re-hired a cook (I was broke at the time) so instead of grabbing a snack and running away they now sit at the table to eat. It helps social quite abit but still looking foward to some answers

[korac]

A water cooler, canteen and Team Leader (with or without a meeting room) are the main solutions to social problems, and sending them home early also seems to help a little (although that's probably more for stressed-out people than anything, it's a useful last resort in the worst cases).

Meetings are held automatically once there's a Team Leader in place, and if hungry people aren't heading to the canteen as often as you think they should, you probably simply need more platters with food available (which may in turn require more cooks!).

[Killermen962]

Originally posted by korac:

A water cooler, canteen and Team Leader (with or without a meeting room) are the main solutions to social problems, and sending them home early also seems to help a little (although that's probably more for stressed-out people than anything, it's a useful last resort in the worst cases).

Meetings are held automatically once there's a Team Leader in place, and if hungry people aren't heading to the canteen as often as you think they should, you probably simply need more platters with food available (which may in turn require more cooks!).

Thanks for reply!

The water cooler barely helped, but actually hiring a cook to make meals that force them to sit down for awhile w/ co-workers instead of snacking and running worked out well. I am dying to see them use the meeting room though atm, want to see if it works since I haven't held/seen one yet.

[korac]

Yeah, the water cooler is a bit of a hit-and-miss affair. It seems to work most effectively when you have a number of very social types so the cooler sees quite a lot of traffic—that helps keep them stood around talking as another saunters over to join their conversation, then another when one heads back to their desk, etc. Continued conversation is the key, so one person miserably standing there on their own does very little for them!

The canteen is a more certain way to be assured of interaction, as even those not normally inclined to be particularly sociable will usually take a seat at the same table with others. Once you have both a well-stocked canteen and regular meetings for most employees, the water cooler will see very little traffic (or need for it).

[Harag]

I read somewhere to only have a few water coolers and not too many, if you have to many then you spread out the people using them. Not really tested the theory early on as I got a leader and the meetings seem to have solved the issue.

[Killermen962]

I still haven't had a single meeting.... Are they automatic or do I need to somehow "schedule" them?

[cfranks007]

You need a lead person for your group to have a meeting. Youu need empty tables and chairs. If you do, maybe there is a pathing issue?

[Harag]

Originally posted by cfranks007:

You need a lead person for your group to have a meeting. Youu need empty tables and chairs. If you do, maybe there is a pathing issue?

Also mark the room as a meeting room, though not 100% needed (I've seen meetings at the picnic bench outside). Select the room, right click and there is an option top left, that says "restrict access".

[Navarro]

Originally posted by Killermen962:

How to deal with socially un-happy employees?

Recruit independent employees and you won't have to "deal with socially un-happy employees."

[Gorlos]

My teamleaders have own rooms and they look so important while arranging automatic meetings.
Except founder who looks like a modest person.

[Harag]

Originally posted by Gorlos:

My teamleaders have own rooms and they look so important while arranging automatic meetings.
Except founder who looks like a modest person.

Nice building - how do you get the yellow corner bits on the roof?

[Gorlos]

Originally posted by Harag:

Originally posted by Gorlos:

My teamleaders have own rooms and they look so important while arranging automatic meetings.
Except founder who looks like a modest person.

Nice building - how do you get the yellow corner bits on the roof?

Those corners are my 3rd floor meeting rooms. I am still building those and I have 60 millions to spend ;)

Just choose any room and wheel has an option to change colours (exterior).

[Harag]

Originally posted by Gorlos:

Originally posted by Harag:

Nice building - how do you get the yellow corner bits on the roof?

Those corners are my 3rd floor meeting rooms. I am still building those and I have 60 millions to spend ;)

Just choose any room and wheel has a option to change colors (exterior).

Ahh, I thought it was a roof colour of some sort that I couldn't find. Just zoomed in on it and looked, noticed how it's done :) I need to be more adventures in my designs, they are all boxes when I do them.

I guess the hut over on the right at the front is the printing room :)