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Author James Adonis says it's the little things that make the biggest difference to staff.

If you believe the reports, the workplace is becoming sad. Fear of redundancy is pressuring staff to perform harder, leading to more stress and less sleep, resulting in fatigue and low concentration, which can't be alleviated by the cheaper coffee in the staff kitchen, which no one will drink because the cups are dirty and no one can afford detergent. STOP! Is anyone else sick of the pessimism?

Yes, the economy is grinding to a halt, unemployment is forecast to rise, and people are concerned about how this will affect their workplace. But if 7.5million of us are still spending 40hours a week at work, shouldn't we at least try to make it an enjoyable place to be? Now more than ever, employees need to feel that their managers care. And for managers, showing you care doesn't have to be expensive.

First, look at your work space - is it working? Ensure people who work together are near each other, and remove obstructions such as partitions that block communication. Give your staff maximum comfort and support by checking that chairs can have their height and tilt adjusted. And combat that nemesis of productivity - bad lighting - by keeping all lights clean and in working order.

Regardless of how orderly the space is, a boring office makes for bored workers. So think of ways to make the work space more enjoyable for staff - and for you. You could allow staff to "decorate" their work space with favourite postcards, photographs or funny quotes on walls or in work areas. Or perhaps some office plants.

A little bit of freedom can be a big motivation, says Stephanie Thompson, principal psychologist at corporate coaching and psychology firm Insight Matters.

"It's good for staff to feel as though they have ownership of their space - it can reduce feelings of being oppressed by a task, a role or a boss," MsThompson says. "Personalising the space and making it functional for the way they need to work can be very beneficial."

Provided any additions are not offensive and don't restrict the workers' ability to do their jobs, theyshouldn't be a problem. Interesting objects can also make for good conversation starters for managers ("How are your kids going, John?") and for the clients ("Is that postcard from Cowes? Iused to go there as a kid"), which can boost morale and relationships.

Once the work space is sorted, take a look at your employees' well-being and work-life balance. Employers should encourage a culture where stopping to have a chat and a cup of tea is acceptable, not something to be frowned upon, MsThompson says.

"People need short, regular breaks if they are to be productive," she says. "The mind has a natural cycle during the day that is 90minutes long, with activity and focus followed by a natural dip. Employers need to allow this cycle to happen rather than forcing people to be 'on' all the time."

She also cautions against asking staff to work longer hours to manage tighter workloads: "In Australia we have fallen into the dangerous habit of working long hours. Making staff work long hours is like everyone at a football match standing on tip-toe to get a better view - noone can see anything, and everyone gets sore feet. It's not productive or helpful."

So, if there's no need for staff to be staying back after work, don't let them - encourage them to go home, have a good meal, some down-time and a decent night's sleep. If the same people are staying back consistently, it may be time to look at staff workloads and to prioritise tasks.

But a perfectly designed workspace and well-rested staff are not necessarily enough - sometimes you just need to think positive.

"Ignoring a good 70 % of the economic hype and focusing on thinking positive will probably make the biggest difference to staff and your workplace," Ms Thompson says.

Four easy ways to win over your staff

Improving the office atmosphere is not just about aesthetics: if you really want to engage your staff, pay attention to their career needs, says James Adonis, author of Employee Enragement: Why people hate working for you.

Here he offers four easy - and cheap - ways to make a difference.

• Praise staff: "Praise and recognition go beyond any monetary incentive. In one study of what employees hate most about their jobs, not receiving recognition for work came in at No.2," MrAdonis says.
• Provide development opportunities: "Anything that makes employees feel like they're growing will stimulate them at work," Mr Adonis says. "The biggest component of development is not expensive training courses; it's one-on-one coaching, mentoring, audio programs and books."
• Create informal leadership roles: "One of the biggest motivators is influence. People like to feel important and to have responsibilities and to have a say in what happens. It could be leading a short-term project, or running a training session."
• Communication: "Studies of American organisations showed that those that communicated well were 400per cent more likely to have high employee engagement," Mr Adonis says. "But communication is not about sending emails or talking to everyone; it is 'an exchange of understanding'. It means managers and employees know what the other is thinking, feeling and wanting."

Ultimately, it's the little things that make the biggest difference to staff, Mr Adonis says. "It's the things that you say and do to your employees each day that makes a difference as to whether they can go home and say they've had a good day or not."