What is employee happiness?
This week (25th – 29th September) is International Week of Happiness at Work – an initiative celebrated worldwide to raise awareness of the benefits of employee happiness for organisations, their people and the wider community.
What do we mean by employee happiness?
Put simply, employee happiness is job satisfaction. It is a crucial yet underestimated factor in the success of any organisation and encompasses an employee’s overall wellbeing at work – including levels of engagement, motivation, inclusion and belonging.
Why is employee happiness important?
Happy employees find their work meaningful, feel appreciated, are content with their work-life balance and are able to bring their full, authentic selves to work. As a result, happy employees are more productive. They feel supported to perform at their best, are creative and innovative in their thinking, and are committed to their achieving their goals.
Employees who feel supported and empowered are also more likely to collaborate effectively with their colleagues. They are open to sharing ideas, resolving conflicts, and working as a team, which fosters a positive work environment and further enhances business productivity.
Most importantly, happy employees are valuable brand advocates. They are motivated to positively engage with customers and clients, providing exceptional service, boosting brand reputation and loyalty, and ensuring high levels of customer satisfaction. This advocacy also extends to attracting new talent to the organisation – who better to champion employer brand than happy employees?
How can your business boost employee happiness?
Here are our top tips for boosting employee happiness at your workplace:
- Create a positive working environment
Foster a workplace culture that respects and champions diversity, inclusivity, belonging and open communication. Keep employees informed about company goals, performance, and any changes that may impact their roles.
2. Promote healthy work-life balance
Promote a healthy work-life balance by offering remote, hybrid or flexible working patterns. Check out our 9-day fortnight initiative here.
But work-life balance also extends to providing opportunities for employees to socialise and build connections with their colleagues outside of work through team events and activities. All work and no play, does not lead to a happy workforce!
3. Celebrate achievements
Publicly acknowledge and reward employees for their hard work and performance to ensure employees feel valued and that they are making a difference.
4. Encourage continual learning
Growth and development – both personal and professional – are key to workplace happiness. Show your commitment to investing in your employees’ skills and supporting them to advance in their careers through access to training, workshops, and mentorship.
5. Engage your people
Involve employees in decision-making that affect their work. Provide opportunities and a platform for them to participate in discussions, share their thoughts, and contribute to the company’s future success.
6. Upskill leaders
Supportive, empathetic leaders have a significant, positive impact on the happiness of their teams. Leaders also need to be skilled in open, transparent communication in providing regular, constructive and clear feedback to help employees understand their strengths and feel empowered to address areas of improvement.
7. Support health and wellness
Introduce health and wellness programmes that promote physical and mental wellbeing. At MLC, we offer team PT sessions, but wellness programmes can extend beyond the gym to counselling services, cycle to work schemes, healthy office snacks, charity days and much much more.
The International Week of Happiness at Work campaign aims to ensure employers see happiness at work as the rule, not the exception. But for us, it’s a no-brainer. The benefits of happy, engaged, motivated, creative employees are far-reaching for your business and your people.
We do things differently at MLC. We’re not just a recruitment partner of choice, but experts in telling your company story. If employee happiness is at the top of your company agenda, shout about it. We can help, so you attract (and retain) the best talent. Talk to us to find out more.
