Lack of employee engagement, burnout, and The Great Resignation is undoubtedly the top issues plaguing organizations today. There is an undeniable lack of energy and motivation, coupled with serious stress from the pandemic, political upheaval, and rising inflation. Today’s challenges are real, and that’s why solutions that are affordable, doable, and non-traditional are the most effective for today’s messiness.
Being strategic about happiness in the workplace can address some of the most significant issues in Corporate America, one of them being dissatisfied employees. Happiness is an extremely powerful contagious emotion; it doesn’t just make us smile; it has superpowers. Experts say that “good feelings” can boost your ability to bounce back from pressure, solve problems, think flexibly and even fight disease. According to Mental Health America it can lower anxiety, decrease stress hormones, promote heart health, and even lessen the physical pain.
I recently conducted a study regarding happiness and learned there are only moderate happiness levels in the United States. Two-thirds of the respondents said they were surviving, not thriving. Most believe there are benefits to being happy and would like to improve their levels of joy. No doubt happiness is good, but how can we jumpstart our joy in the workplace?
Benefits of having happy employees
13 percent more productive
Having more productive employees is a big win. Still, it is also beneficial to note the researchers found that happy workers do not work more hours than their discontented colleagues – they are more productive during their time at work.
Fewer sick days
Sick days are costly for businesses. Analysis from Integrated Benefits Institute found that lost productivity from illness-related employee absences totaled almost 1.5 billion days annually for all employees and cost employers $3,900 per employee. What is the connection between those costs and employee happiness? When unhappiness increases, so do sick days taken. Workers who report being happy take 10X fewer sick days than unhappy employees.
Better performance
A recent study published in the Journal of Happiness Studies shows that employee well-being and happiness accurately predict employee performance. Happy people perform better. How much better? Happy individuals were four times more likely to produce and receive awards than the least positive ones effectively.
Improved retention
Losing an employee costs a company. The good news is that happy employees are less likely to leave their jobs. As happiness increases, the number of employees who leave their organization typically decreases.
Employees are a company’s most important asset. Optimizing things like productivity, sick time, retention, and performance by creating a happier workplace makes good business sense, but the big question is how? Here is a list of techniques and tools to help you get started.
Five tips to increase employee happiness:
Encourage social interaction. Human beings are hard-wired to connect. Small talk, as we call it, has huge benefits as it enables us to find common ground and shared interests. It also improves active listening skills, builds muscles to overcome social discomfort, and lays the groundwork for transitioning into deeper topics that require a foundation. Leaders must look for ways to foster social capital beyond team meetings.
Give employees a reset button.
Stress is inevitable, whether it comes from home life or is the result of work pressures. Hybrid working and home office distractions affect our ability to pay attention, learn, or be happy. Having tools to help employees reset is growing in popularity. It can be as simple as teaching some breathing techniques or having an EAP program where employees can talk to professionals. Some organizations even offer a bank of 15-minute work breaks where employees can walk away from their desks without being penalized.
Eliminate the necessary meetings and emails.
Sometimes making employees happy means removing the negatives. Take meetings, for example; Most employees feel overwhelmed by the number of meetings they must attend. This means that eliminating unnecessary meetings will immediately improve employee optimism and well-being. The same is true for off-hours emails. Since most employees assume a quick response is required — even if you don’t expect one —receiving off-hours emails increases their stress and anxiety and lowers their overall well-being. Set expectations for response time — or better yet, stop sending off-hours emails — and you can immediately improve employee happiness.
Give your employees a voice.
When was the last time you asked an employee what was on their mind? Many organizations rely on annual surveys and do not take the time to ask their employees if they have feedback or ideas. Employees need to feel appreciated and respected to be happy at work. Ensure that your employees feel like they are part of a team and that their opinions are valued. It could be as simple as starting department meetings with a roundtable regarding challenges or opportunities.
Learn what your employees value.
The great divide between personal and professional life has disappeared for most employees this day. In addition, the values for most individuals post-pandemic have radically changed. Do you know what your employees value? If you do not, you are missing some critical information. Values are no longer just the things we deem important, but they now transcend our entire lives. Knowing this information lets you connect with employees on what is important to them and help contribute to their happiness.
Recognize individual and team accomplishments.
Employees believe that being recognized at work contributes to their happiness, and acknowledgment gives them a sense of pride and desire to continue.
Happiness is a compelling and powerful emotion, and it has the power to create a stronger, more productive business. How will you make your employees happy today?
