Happiness Still Matters: Happiness at work is not a frivolous topic reserved for idealistic, New Age types. It is a recognised phenomenon with a growing body of research and knowledge that confirms the importance of happiness in the workplace.
Wellness programmes for companies started to emerge many years before BC (Before COVID). In fact, The Occupational Health and Safety Act of 1993 determines that an employer must establish and maintain a work environment that is safe and without risk to the health of employees. It seems that there is a lack of guidance in the laws and statutes with regard to dealing with employee health and wellness. A management standards approach, which involves all the role players in the regulation of employee health and wellness, should be implemented.
These days, more and more companies are becoming aware of the impact happy employees have on their performance. There is plenty of evidence to suggest that happy workers are better equipped to tackle challenges, remain productive even in stressful situations, and remain loyal to their company. When you walk through the “office doors”, you bring ALL of yourself into the office, this includes the good, the bad and the ugly. Learning how to better deal with the bad and ugly is where we help our colleagues have healthier mindsets (and even healthier bodies).
In fact, employee retention rates are directly correlated with employee happiness levels.
Do you know what makes your people happy at work? and how do you as an employer, continuously make your team happier?
What is happiness at work?
When people are happy, they are productive and successful. Happiness at work means feeling content and satisfied with your job. Whilst there may be times when you feel stressed or anxious, these feelings do not last long if you are happy. On the other hand, if you are constantly dissatisfied with your work, you are more likely to experience anxiety and stress. Achieving happiness at work requires a certain degree of fulfilment. This means you have a good work-life balance and feel like you are making a positive contribution. If your job makes you feel unfulfilled and like you are not adding anything of value, you are unlikely to be happy.
Why does employee happiness matter to companies?
Beyond the fact that happy employees are more productive and loyal, there are numerous ways in which happy employees can benefit the company’s bottom line.
For example, poor employee retention rates could cost your company up to 40% of its annual revenue. If you want to avoid this loss, you need to create an environment where employees can be productive and happy.
By promoting happiness and offering support, you could significantly reduce the number of people looking for a new job.
There are other benefits to increasing employee happiness, too. Higher morale and better employee retention rates can help you overcome difficult periods such as economic downturns.
Research also suggests that 64% would rather have a low-paid job they enjoyed than a well-paid job they hated.
Furthermore, happy employees are also more likely to recommend the company to others and boost your customer service ratings.
Which factors are most likely to make employees happy at work?
There is no one factor that makes everyone happy at work, but there are common themes that can be traced among the happiest employees.
These include feeling like you have a purpose, having autonomy over your work, having good relationships with your colleagues, and feeling good about the culture and leadership at your company.
Companies can promote employee happiness.
There is no magic formula for making employees happy. Instead, employers need to be aware of the factors that influence happiness at work.
These can be divided into the culture of the company and the day-to-day tasks that employees are required to perform.
The most effective way to promote happiness is to keep these in mind as you make decisions about your business.
The culture of the company refers to the things that are out of your control. For example, you cannot change the number of hours employees are required to work. However, you can make sure that these policies are communicated clearly in a way that all employees understand. For LadyBugz, we have daily team connect sessions where the team touches base for everyone to engage and address tasks ahead or what is required from team members.
You can also make sure that things like salaries, benefits, and work-life balance remain consistent. This will help to ensure a positive culture and make sure employees are happy regardless of external influences.
Ways to foster a healthier working environment:
Encourage employees to make the most of the time they’d otherwise spend commuting
You don’t have to be concerned about the travel to and from work or the added stress that goes along with it when you work from home. Instead, encourage staff members to establish a regular after-work ritual to reduce stress. For instance, a lot of employees long for some time spent outside after work, engaging in everything from taking walks, and meditation to gardening. We all appreciate the opportunity to spend time nurturing interests rather than idling in traffic.
Remote work’s flexibility has advantages for both businesses and employees. Granting employees greater flexibility and space for a better work-life balance enhances both the general standard of work and the workplace environment.
Assist a healthy work-life balance
Encourage staff to schedule time for routine maintenance and home rituals. This may look like taking breaks to prepare food for lunch, exercise, relax or even take a walk outside. For their breaks and socializing, remote workers are not limited to the traditional locations of the office break room, the canteen…
Flexible scheduling aids businesses in being more inclusive of children, parents, and those with other significant obligations.
Initiate ongoing virtual team-building activities
Employees can interact face-to-face with co-workers by scheduling virtual team-building activities, which also provides chances for online friendship and socializing after work hours.
However, online events are not always necessary for distant team building. By starting ongoing, informal team-building events, you provide your team with the opportunity to get to know one another when their free time and schedules permit.
Some ideas for consistent online team-building activities include:
- Virtual coffee breaks
- Team building emails
Prioritize employee recognition
An essential component of employee engagement especially in virtual offices is employee recognition.
Remote workers may begin to doubt themselves if they don’t receive immediate reassurance from co-workers.
Online employee recognition options include the following:
• Announce an employee of the month on the company website, social media page, and email newsletter;
• Host a virtual awards ceremony;
• Establish peer-to-peer recognition platforms.
Show Gratitude
The employees are the pillar of the company, and their work is meaningful for the company’s growth. But do they know that? It is very important that they feel appreciated and gratitude is the way to do it.
Emphasise positivity
A positive work environment requires positive thoughts and words. Instead of always focusing on what employees did not do well or what they need to change about their work habits, take a different perspective.
Regularly mention all the goals you have achieved. Focus on individual contribution and let employees know how their work impacts the company. The recognition will motivate them to keep up the good work.
Let them share their ideas
Employees will be happier knowing they can openly share their thoughts and ideas about the project. Such an attitude toward employees will make them feel recognised and valued. Whether it’s a project meeting or a workday, employees should feel comfortable enough to say what’s on their minds.
Set up a place of relaxation
Employees will feel more at ease if they know there is an area where they can retreat to take a breather when the stress of work becomes a little too overwhelming.
Remember that happy employees are productive employees!
Maintaining a happy workplace should definitely be on your priority list. The impact of a happy team on the business can be immense. With these simple tips, you can change employees’ perspectives. Instead of finding their job stressful, they will be able to enjoy their working day.