Over the past decades, much research has been done on the matter, and many can attest that a happy employee at work tends to bring more into the workplace than just his presence. We have heard happy employees are more productive, but is that so? A recent study published on the ResearchGate platform tried studying the same, and the results were positive. The study concluded that happy and satisfied employees are indeed much more productive than their unhappy counterparts.
How does one measure employee happiness? By looking at them? By how they interact with others? By how hardworking and dedicated they are to the company?
It’s not as easy as it sounds. After all, who likes to be poked and prodded around in an office full of clueless people who constantly question your habits, eating habits, and even your dressings? To be honest, nobody dreams of working in such an environment.
This is why looking at different ways of promoting employee happiness and wellness in the workplace is essential. But before that, let’s understand why caring about employee happiness and health is essential.
Offer Flexibility Over When and How Employees Work
Some employees prefer to work in the mornings, and others prefer to work in the afternoons. Giving your employees flexibility with when and where they do their work increases workplace happiness. And there are many statistics and studies to back this up.
For instance, one study from ManpowerGroup Solutions states that around 40% of the global candidates who participated in the survey reported that flexibility is among the top three factors they consider. Another online study by Mom Corps concluded that around 42% of individuals were likely to give up some portion of their salary for increased flexibility.
Some employers may find that implementing a flexible work culture in the office can be difficult. However, there are several easy ways to implement a flexible work culture. One way to make it easier is to start small. For example, allow employees to work from home one day a week. This will help employees become more comfortable working flexibly and make them more productive when in the office.
Another way to implement a flexible work culture is to allow employees to shift their hours. For example, if an employee usually works from 9 am to 5 pm but wants to start work at 10 am and leave at 6 pm, the employer can try to accommodate this request. Doing this may help employees who have children or other obligations outside of work.
Employers should also be aware of the different types of flexible work arrangements. These include flextime, telecommuting, job sharing, and staggered hours. Flextime allows employees to choose their hours within a specific range; telecommuting will enable employees to work from home, job sharing splits one full-time job into two part-time jobs, and staggered hours allow employees to start and end work at different times. Employers should decide which arrangement would work best for their office and employees.
Leverage Office Lunch Programs
Every year, office lunch programs save businesses billions of dollars by providing employees with a valid excuse to step away from their desks, relax, and grab some decent food. But office lunch programs can be much more than just a time drain for hungry employees—they can benefit employee happiness, wellness, and, ultimately, business productivity.
Constantly working at the desk can lead to stress and fatigue. According to the State of the Global Workplace 2021 Report, around 57% of employees feel stress at work. This stress can lead to low engagement, which costs over $8 trillion to the global economy.
By leveraging an office lunch program, employers allow employees time away from work to de-stress and relax. This can lead to happier, more engaged employees who are less likely to experience burnout.
Office lunch programs can promote employee happiness and improve employee wellness. According to the World Health Organization, one in four adults worldwide is not physically active enough, and physical inactivity is the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality.
Sedentary lifestyles are becoming increasingly common, especially in office settings. An office lunch program can help employees be more active by encouraging them to take a walk, go for a run, or even just spend some time outside.
Make Recognition a Part of Your Culture
Want to increase employee happiness at your workplace? Try implementing recognition and rewards like offering personalized and specific items such as personalized challenge coins, logo pens, custom mugs, branded custom logo umbrellas, and custom clocks – you may be surprised at their results. Unrecognized employees are more likely to be unhappy, less productive, and disengaged. Recognition motivates employees to continue doing what they do best; it lets them know they are impacting the company and acknowledges their efforts to make a positive change.
An SHRM survey states that around 70% of employees feel emotionally connected with their peers when recognized. This connection is not limited to workplace happiness but also affects personal lives. The same SHRM survey also concludes that 70% of employees recognized at the workplace feel happier at home.
Employers can enable employee recognition in the workplace by establishing a system where employees can nominate their colleagues for recognition. Employees can submit nominations for their colleagues in recognition of exemplary work, dedication to the company, or any other outstanding achievement. The employer can then review all of the nominations and award certificates or other forms of recognition to the employees who have been nominated. This system enables employers to recognize their employees’ achievements while fostering a sense of camaraderie and teamwork.
Encourage Breaks
We’ve all heard the adage that breaks are good for us. It’s not just idle banter; there’s quite a lot of science behind this one. Breaks are essential when it comes to reducing stress, increasing productivity, and encouraging happiness within the workplace. But with so much data, how can a manager implement regular breaks into their staff schedule? Ideally, an employee should take a 17-minute break after a 52-minute work session.
When it comes to taking breaks at work, employers and HR professionals play a significant role in encouraging employees to do so. By implementing policies that mandate break times and providing breaks for employees, employers can create a work environment conducive to taking breaks.
Here are a few other ways they can do so:
- Provide mini vacations for employees
- Create a work environment that is conducive to taking breaks
- Encourage employees to use their break time wisely
- Offer incentives for taking breaks
Final Thoughts
To summarize, employers need to consider how they can support employee wellness at work and make the workplace a happier place to work. Employers should start with the employee-employer relationship and consider factors like commuting time, adequate breaks and lunchtime, benefits, and the office’s physical environment.
With all of these considerations in mind, employers can help create an atmosphere where their employees are happiest and healthiest. To keep the best employees happy and healthy, employers must take a holistic approach to their staff’s experience. Contact an agency or a consultant to learn more about incorporating employee well-being in a comprehensive benefits strategy.
