Why Should Workplaces Care About Employee Happiness?

In short, there’s a growing body of evidence proving that businesses thrive when employees are happy.?

Higher Drive To Reach Goals

Employees who are happier at work are more productive and have a higher drive to reach personal and company work goals! Research proves happiness raises nearly every business and educational outcome: raising sales by 37%, productivity by 31%, and accuracy on tasks by 19%.

Improved Teamwork & Collaboration

Happiness is indeed contagious. However, recent research shows a team member's happiness is more likely to be impacted by fellow employees than managers and the leadership team.?

Unhappy employees tend to isolate themselves and work alone, refraining from collaborating. This may disrupt the team environment and the individual's happiness even further.?

It is important to note that a happy team makes a more cohesive team.? The emotions and feelings of one can directly cause a chain reaction - positively or negatively!

P.S Collaboration also boosts the feeling of support, value, and meaning, improving workplace happiness.?

Increased Loyalty?

Employees who displayed higher levels of happiness at work also showed higher levels of company loyalty and commitment. This also translates into longer employment and resignation levels!?

Better Performance

Finally, workplaces with a happier work environment usually performed 20% better than their competitors! Most likely due to the increased productivity, teamwork, and overall drive.

How To Increase Workplace Happiness: Big Ideas

1. Hold Collaborative, Inclusive, & Recurring Team Meetings

A lot of the time, workplace happiness stems from feeling valued, supported, heard, and knowing that the work you're doing has a purpose. A great way to boost these feelings is holding weekly or recurring meetings where the team members get the opportunity to voice concerns, collaborate and have their say whilst the team leads listen.??

These meetings should be a little less structured and formal, allowing team members to relax, build workplace relationships and feel at ease when communicating, creating a happier, positive environment.?

2. Open A Company Coffee Tab At The Local Coffee Shop

Everyone functions and feels better after having their morning coffee?

3. Schedule Monthly Team Bonding Events Outside the Workplace

Emotions are contagious, and even a single employee's happiness can significantly impact the overall success of a workplace.?

Team bonding improves trust and motivation, strengthens relationships, and allows team members to see each other differently as they get to know one another outside work.?

4. Set Clear Reachable Goals?

People want to feel productive in the workplace and achieve their objectives. Setting clear and realistic workplace goals can dramatically transform the workplace and improve happiness.?

Goals must be reasonable, achievable, challenging and motivating at the same time. Goals that seem too far-fetched and hard to reach can have the opposite effect on employee happiness and overwhelm rather than encourage your team!?

5. Celebrate Milestones & Reached Goals

Setting goals increases workplace motivation & happiness, but to motivate your team even more, make sure you celebrate every achievement.

6. Sign up for WellBeing For Teams

Connect your team with health experts through online webinars and provide them with the information they need to take charge of their wellbeing.??

WellBeing For Teams combines personalised insights obtained through at-home wellbeing tests with an interesting schedule of evidence-based events with health experts to inspire and nurture wellbeing in the workplace. Click here to learn more!

Make Your Workplace A Better Place

Employee happiness must be a priority in the workplace, as it benefits both?the business and the employees. Implementing the suggestions above will make a difference. However, never forget about the little things!? Sharing snacks, decorating the workplace, meditating, playing some feel-good music, or even buying our fellow team members lunch can significantly impact the entire team's happiness.