The Importance of Employee Happiness
Most people spend at least one-third and possibly as much as one-half of their waking hours at work. Management, therefore, should make work a place where people can thrive, that fosters an atmosphere in which they can be engaged and productive. Workers are happier when they like where they work and when they do not have to worry about childcare, health insurance, or being able to leave early on occasion to attend a child’s school play, for example.
Happy employees are more productive and more focused, which enhances their performance and leads to better customer treatment, fewer sick days, fewer on-the-job accidents, and less stress and burnout. They are more focused on their work, more creative, and better team players, and they are more likely to help others and demonstrate more leadership qualities.
How, then, does an employer go about the process of making workers happy?
- Taking an authentic interest in who they are as people really does matter. One way to show caring and interest is to recognize when employees are making progress; another might be to take a personal interest in their lives and families.
- Asking employees to share their ideas and implementing these ideas whenever possible is another form of acknowledgement and recognition. Pause and highlight important milestones people achieve, and ensure that they feel their contributions are noticed.
- Encourage exercise and sleep rather than long work hours, because those two factors improve employees’ health, focus, attention, creativity, energy, and mood.
Vocabulary:
thrive – to grow, develop, or be very successful, “With the right support, the new business began to thrive.”
fosters an atmosphere – creates or encourages a specific feeling or environment around a place, “Playing soft music in the lobby fosters an atmosphere of calm.”
engaged and productive – fully involved, excited, and getting a lot of high-quality work done, “When employees feel valued, they are much more engaged and productive.”
burnout – a state of extreme mental and physical tiredness caused by working too hard for too long, “Working twelve hours a day without a break will quickly lead to burnout.”
authentic interest – true, genuine care and curiosity about someone or something, “The manager showed an authentic interest in her employees’ career goals.”
implementing – starting to use or put a plan, idea, or system into action, “The company is implementing a new policy to allow flexible working hours.”
acknowledgement and recognition – praise, thanks, or special attention given to someone for their hard work and achievements, “Winning the award provided great acknowledgement and recognition for his efforts.”
milestones – important events, achievements, or major stages in a project or a person’s life, “Reaching ten years of service and buying a house are both huge life milestones.”