One of the biggest complaints about employee photo ID cards is that nobody wants to flash around their photo. Ask anybody with a driver's license and they will tell you how much they hate their photo. One way to increase employee happiness just a little bit is to take photos that exceed expectations. These tips will help you take good photos of your employees, reducing turnaround of photo ID cards in the long run.

1. Encourage employees to display a light smile.

A light smile is more flattering than a toothy grin or a melancholy face in most cases. A closed mouth with a slight upturn is more encouraging, which is great if the photo will be on display elsewhere besides the identification card.

2. Let employees know about photo day ahead of time.

When employees know that they will be taking photos, they can prepare. Nobody likes to be caught off guard with a photo. This allows him or her to prepare in terms of hair, makeup, and clothing. It also sets a precedence for trust and respect between employee and employer.

3. Bring the neck forward to tighten the jawline.

People love to look slimmer in their ID photos, and this trick will help to tighten up the jawline, giving a thinner appearance to the face. Ask your employee to bring the chin forward and slightly out, and the jawline will become more prominent.

4. Bring hair forward to rest between shoulder and neck.

Those with long hair will benefit from bring it over the shoulder toward the front. Leaving hair behind the shoulders tends to give the appearance of it being cut off. Your employee's hair will look more natural if it is resting on the shoulder or in front softly.

5. Remember clothing shouldn't match skin tone or background.

Most workplaces tend to use a gray or blue backdrop for photo IDs, so it is wise to advise employees not to match it. It is also a good idea to advise your employees not to wear colors that closely match their skin tone, as this will leave the face appearing washed out on camera.

Employees who feel respected in the workplace are happier and more productive. Want to build trust with your employees? Want to discourage them from asking for additional photos for their IDs? Encouraging that everybody has photos they don't hate is one step in the right direction.