Do you believe that your employees are happy in their work? Well, a recent study by TINYpulse might change your mind, because they found that only 22% of employees in the financial services industry are happy, with 78% either indifferent or unhappy.

With all the benefits and flexible working hours in the industry, you would think that employees in the financial services industry would be happy in their work, but another study by the same company found that this isn’t so. In fact, it’s interpersonal relationships and a positive work culture that play a big role in the happiness of employees.

Whilst benefits, flexi-time and wages do influence employees, these do not appear to have the same positive influence on employees as a feeling of being appreciated in the workplace. The problem is that this report also determined that worker recognition is becoming worse with only 25% of employees feeling valued in the workplace.

All of this begs the question – why does the happiness of our employees matter? Well, a recent study at the University of Warwick found that when workers feel happy their productivity increases by 12%, regardless of their initial productivity levels. So making a highly productive worker happy will make them even more productive!

So what can managers do to make their employees happy at work?

It’s fair to say that happy employees can foster a positive workplace culture, so if we take this one step further, we could say that improving the happiness of employees creates a feedback loop, perpetuating a positive culture within the workplace, which makes people happier, and so on.

If you are interested in creating a better working environment for your employees and increasing their happiness at work, here are four strategies you need to consider.

  1. Give praise when it’s due: When an employee has performed well, don’t ignore this accomplishment, instead actively praise their efforts. When employees feel proud of what they have achieved, it gives them an incentive to work even harder, because they realise that what they are doing is important. So give recognition where it’s due.
  2. Don’t stint on career development opportunities: Career development, up-skilling, and education are important considerations for employees. In fact, a LinkedIn study found that more than 90% of employees indicated that this factor alone influenced their decision to remain with a company. Whether it’s leadership skills, retraining, or upgrading, actively encouraging the growth of employees leads to a more positive work environment.
  3. Invest in positive workplace culture: You do this by supporting the physical and mental health of your employees and encouraging workplace friendships. Installing a gym on-site or encouraging physical activities during the lunch hour (Pilates, yoga, or meditation come to mind), adding games to communal break areas, or meeting up for lunch or a weekly dinner are all ways to promote the health of your employees.
  4. Ask for feedback: An anonymous survey or simply a suggestion box are two effective strategies that can be extremely valuable in showing your employees that you care about their welfare at work. Actively supporting the happiness, health, and satisfaction of your employees is a strategy that will have a significant impact on the productivity of your company. The first step is to listen to your employees!

If you would like to further discuss please call 0417097642 or get in touch with me via the Contact Me page.