Employee happiness can improve employer happiness, through greater productivity and improved results.
It’s some time ago now that I received Harriet Minter’s article from The Guardian’s Women in Leadership editorial, offering her top five ways in which companies can boost employee happiness. From keeping salaries as equal and fair as possible to introducing flexible working to your team, considering part-time employees to treating contractors as well as you would your full-time employees, Harriet’s article is bursting with plenty of inspiration for companies to grow and develop, through establishing a happy workforce. And still a very relevant and worthwhile read.
Here at Creative Resource, we strongly support the idea that employee happiness plays a crucial role in the success of a company and with half of the company’s team members working on a part-time basis, some of Harriet’s key points ring true throughout the team here.
The article also got me thinking about some of the other ways in which employers can create a happy, vibrant and enthusiastic team that is sure to not only build employee loyalty, but increase productivity and improve overall business results. Here are just a few additions to Harriet’s top five pointers, to guide employers to success through employee happiness.
Create a clear sense of career direction
By this I don’t simply mean letting your employees know that there is room for development within your company. Instead, try having one-to-one meetings with your employees, to discuss where they would like to progress to, as well as any areas they would personally like to develop in. It’s also a good idea to produce a development plan from these chats, in which both you and your employee share the responsibility of achieving various milestones within the plan.
These meetings and development plans can not only give your team members the chance to have their own say about their career within your company, they can also entice them to remain loyal to your business.
Up the social aspect of your workplace
I’ve personally found myself happiest in roles where taking the time to relax and chat to your colleagues is promoted, rather than frowned upon, and I’m positive I’m not the only one! In fact, studies have found that more than half of employees believe that building friendships with their colleagues, has hugely impacted their happiness at work. Not only that, millennials agree that workplace friendships can boost workplace happiness, motivation and productivity.
Times are changing and gone are the days when your workers would come into work, sit glumly at their desk and just get the job done. Regular breaks away from the screen allow your staff to really get to know each other, bond and build the brilliant team that you want them to be.
Start noticing and appreciating the work of each and every employer
Favouritism, a word often unspoken out of fear, is an employee happiness killer that needs to be eradicated. Although a lot of the time it’s down to simply going unnoticed, it’s unbelievable how often employers or managers can neglect the majority of the team, whilst celebrating the work of particular employees.
Take some time to consider each and every employee and the work that they have been carrying out, every so often. Find something good in each of their work and praise them for it; it’s often underestimated just how far a little recognition can motivate employees to continue working well.
While it may seem that I’m discussing some obvious points, a lack of the above can often be what drives individuals away from a company, and yet they are so simple to incorporate. Although as recruiters our main aim is to pair superb candidates with their ideal roles, we also strive to advise our clients, based on our own knowledge and experience. Therefore, if ever you need some third party guidance on employer-employee relations, feel free to give me a call on 0161 477 3221 or drop me an email!
From Julie Ollerton