Workplace happiness – the impossible dream?

“To win in the marketplace you must first win in the workplace.” – Doug Conant, CEO of Campbell’s Soup 

The modern workplace is a fascinating place. You’ll find people of different characters, different habits, different backgrounds and different beliefs.

We covered the importance of workplace diversity in our last blog. It’s certainly a key driver towards well-being and happiness in the workplace. But what are the other factors? How do you keep everyone happy? Is it even a realistic goal?

Incentives

“When people are financially invested, they want a return. When people are emotionally invested, they want to contribute.” – Simon Sinek

You won’t get much of an argument against using incentives to keep everyone happy. And you’ll go a long way to find an employee, of any company, who doesn’t enjoy something extra on top of their expected returns. The proverbial cherry on top!

Studies have shown that providing incentives to your workforce does indeed make a happier and more productive working environment. The study, by Genesis Associates, shows that an impressive 85% of workers feel more motivated with an impressive incentive carrot dangling in front of their noses. 73% described the resulting working environment as ‘good’ or ‘very good’.

But are there are other ways, perhaps more imaginative and less costly to keep your people motivated and happy?
Of course there are.

Communication …

… and by that, we mean both sides of the communication coin. Talking and listening. Regular contact is also vital. Does this mean dishing out an ‘employee wellness’ survey every six months? Certainly not.

We’re talking about real communication. This means talking, writing and explaining to your people about your company goals, targets, strategies, ethos, successes, challenges, initiatives, projects and changes.

And the other side of the communications coin? As a boss or department manager, properly listening to your employees and to what they’re saying is of paramount importance to staff morale.

For many, this may be obvious and common practice. But still, there are still bosses wallowing in a turgid well of complacency, believing that, if targets are being met and no complaints being made, then … everything must be fine. These are the workplaces where low morale and poor performance is most likely to creep up.

Feeling valued

Many department managers and business owners underestimate one of the biggest factors leading to happiness in the workplace. It’s vital and costs almost nothing to implement – just a little time and consideration. It’s called ‘feeling valued’.

You need to make your workplace somewhere that your people enjoy turning up to day after day. Somewhere where their efforts aren’t just rewarded financially, but by frequent and appropriate pats on the back.

To generate this feeling of value, you need to show an interest in your people and in their welfare; successes and their challenges. Try giving them time off when they need it – for the doctor, the dentist, bereavements or family emergencies.

Just as you expect your employees to go the extra mile for your customers, you need to go the extra mile for them.

In short, you need to show that you care about them as people. Get this simple element right and you’ll keep your staff for longer. You’ll save yourself thousands of pounds on recruitment, onboarding and training costs. And, of course, on top of it all, you’ll become more profitable.

Here to help

As experts in Employee Engagement & Retention, we understand the complexities of workplace dynamics. We appreciate the value of a strong company ethos and how vital it is for you to build a team that buys into that ethos – with every employee bringing their own strengths and skill-sets to the party.

For straight-talking advice on all aspects of HR, call us – 01604 763494
Or email – info@GravitasHR.co.uk