Happiness at Work

I was recently asked to do a presentation on benefits to leaders of not-for-profit organizations. Now when most of us think of benefits, we immediately think about health insurance, 401K plans, compensation, etc. Don’t get me wrong; these are important. In fact these are critical and in many cases required by law, but as I was preparing for this talk, I realized that if we focus only on these traditional benefits, we will be missing the essence of what draws and keeps employees in our companies.

There are two key things that really “seal the deal.” Engagement and happiness.

First let’s dispel the myth that salary engages us. Oh sure, we all need to get paid and it should be fair and competitive with others in the field. Beyond that though, studies have shown a low association between pay and job satisfaction.

 In 2014, the Boston Consulting Group surveyed over 200,000 employees to find the top 10 factors for employee happiness. They were, in this order:

1. Appreciation for your work
2. Good relationships with colleagues
3. Good work-life balance
4. Good relationships with superiors
5. Company's financial stability
6. Learning and career development
7. Job security
8. Attractive fixed salary
9. Interesting job content
10. Company values

Note that salary is number 8. And if you notice the 7 factors above salary, they are all related to the “softer” elements of employment. So, what does that tell employers? It says that we should focus on helping employees feel happy and engaged on the job but not at the expense of accountability. In other words, in addition to the traditional benefits, we should be looking at the FUN benefits.

For example, how about celebrating successes as a team? Check out what happened at NASA when they landed the most high-tech rover on Mars.  Wouldn’t you want to experience that with your team? Just imagine how good that would feel for everyone involved.

Success doesn’t lead to happiness. In fact, it is the other way around. Tal Ben-Shahar actually taught a class at Harvard University on Positive Psychology which highlighted the value of happiness.

So what are some other things you can do to make your employees happy and therefore more successful? There are many but here are a few ideas:

• Clear communications
• Sabbaticals
• Tuition reimbursement - “Peanut Butter” (to help pay off student loans)
• On-site yoga
• Providing opportunities to relax and socialize
• Encouraging WorkLife balance
• Encouraging new ideas and rewarding them
• Building a culture that emphasizes learning
• Mentorship

Work can be AND SHOULD BE engaging enough that employees want to be there to perform well.  That is the challenge of every employer. I ask you: What creative things have you tried to drive up employee engagement?