Workplace happiness is a topic of keen interest these days in boardrooms. It is being recognised as a critical factor in organizational success. Research conducted by various companies, individuals and universities supports the growing interest and actual need for organizations to focus their attention and resources on employee well-being. This article focuses on two aspects:
A. Benefits of Workplace Happiness
B. Strategies to Increase Workplace Happiness
A. Benefits of Workplace Happiness
Organisations giving importance to workplace happiness reap the following benefits:
- Higher Productivity: Happy employees could upto 20% more productive than unhappy employees. This significantly affects the input costs of operations especially in service oriented organizations.
- Better Creativity: Happy employees were found to be more creative and innovative. Happy employees were more likely to come up with fresh ideas and solutions to problems. In organizations where problem solving is part of the day to day job role of employees, especially the information technology and consulting companies, this factor can significantly affect their top line and bottom line.
- Enhanced Job Satisfaction: Employees who are happy at work are more likely to be satisfied with their jobs. There is greater warmth for the organization and ownership of their role. They are also more likely to continue working with the same employer for a longer period of time. This solves employee turnover issues especially in industries where talent availability is in scarcity.
- Improved Employee Health: Workplace happiness can lead to better health for employees. Stress, which is a major cause of body ailments among the working class, when less or controlled because of a positive workplace environment, can ensure lesser absences from work for health reasons. This directly affects the quality and continuity of work especially in companies with interdependent employee roles.
- Positive Work Culture: A company that gives priority to employee happiness and well-being is more likely to have a positive work culture. This means better inter-employee relationships, increased collaboration, and therefore better team outcomes. Besides adding to efficiency and effectiveness, and therefore profitability, for employees, this positive work culture means higher levels of job satisfaction.
- Better Talent Acquisition: Positive work environment creates a good image of the organisation in the job market. This helps attract the best talent which by itself becomes a competitive advantage that takes the company miles ahead.
An organization can only neglect workplace happiness in this highly competitive and connected world. By prioritising employee happiness, such organizations help create a more productive, creative, innovative, and positive work environment that is rewarding for all the stakeholders – the employees, employer and the investors.
B. Strategies to Increase Workplace Happiness
- Positive Work Environment: It’s essential to build a workplace culture that encourages healthy communication, mutual trust, collaboration, respect and support among team members. Thus, organizations must have written core values and work philosophy that should communicated regularly to the employees and be firmly brought in the day to day dealings inside and outside the organisation. Once the positive work culture takes roots, it ensures long term sustainability of the organization. The culture itself becomes a key weapon to weather challenges it faces in the course of its regular activities.
- Importance of Role: One cannot feel more satisfied than knowing that his or her work impact’s the organisation’s success. Every employee is important and that’s the reason he/she is there and must be made to feel so. Organisations must ensure that employees have a clear understanding of their role in the company and how their work is meaningful and contributes to the realization of the organization’s goals.
- Professional Development: Life is a constant quest for growth. Skill enhancement ensures that there’s an upgrade in the role and responsibility of employees. Thus creating yearly opportunities for employees’ to learn and grow professionally contributes to their happiness and job satisfaction and reduces employee turnover. Be it offering training and development programs, mentorship opportunities, or chances to work on challenging projects, something exciting must be part of every employee’s job role.
- Fair Compensation: Lastly, almost everyone is working to make a living. Thus if employees believe they are being fairly compensated, it develops greater loyalty for the organization while they themselves feel more valued. Salaries that are competitive and benefit packages that are better than industry average help attract and retain top talent.
- Recognition and Appreciation: Man lives for praise. This is common knowledge. Employees who feel appreciated and valued are more likely to be satisfied with their roles and organisations. With employees’ participation a reward and appreciation programme should be implemented within an organization to recognize their employees’ contributions and celebrate their achievements.
- Work-Life Balance: It has been seen that organizations that encourage their employees to take vacations, occasional workday breaks, provide flexible schedules and routinely avoid work beyond office hours significantly impact employee happiness. Thus, managers should make concerted efforts to plan projects and schedules that ensure employee work-life balance is maintained.
Organisations which create such a healthy work environment that fosters employee happiness and satisfaction will never be looking elsewhere for positive business outcomes.
