Today, organisational success hinges on creating an environment that not only attracts, engages and retains employees of all generations but also makes them happy! Here are 10 secrets of a happy work environment.

Should employee happiness be a business priority? You bet! Not only will you be creating a much more pleasant work environment for everyone but, as research has proven time and time again, happy employees are more productive and collaborative and less likely to cause disturbances, strike or leave the company.

Part and parcel of happiness is feeling that you are part of something bigger in life. Steven Cowart, who works for NASA, explains it this way: “We get to do things I would never have imagined had I not been hired here. Things that change our perception of our life on earth and our place in the universe.”

Secrets to creating a happy work environment

Data, based on worldwide, employee-submitted reviews, point out the following key factors that make employees happy and content at their places of work.

  1. Bosses, managers and supervisors that really care. Happy employees know they are valued as individuals and people first, and not just as the workforce. They know that their managers and supervisors are aware of what motivates them personally and where they get their sense of achievement from.
  2. A personal pat on the back when well earned. Receiving sincere recognition and praise for a job well done, especially when personally extended by the manager or supervisor, are highly prized and help to increase productivity and happiness.
  3. A supportive and fair workplace culture. Great workplace cultures usually include clear expectations and rules that also support and take employees’ needs to balance work and life into account. A good example is Mars Inc. (Australia) where “we don’t talk about managers and employees, we talk about everyone as a partner in the business. Everyone is treated the same, everyone has the same size desk but that means you are expected to contribute to the business too”.
  4. Feeling like part of a family. Optiver, Australia’s best place to work in 2013, does this by making sure new recruits are teamed up with a buddy to help them learn the ropes and feel at home.
  5. Opportunities to grow and better oneself. Companies with happy work environments encourage personal and professional growth through, for example, developmental and skills training. This helps employees not only to be successful in what they have been hired to do but also to advance and move up in the company. A point in case is Victoria, an employee who works for Spartan (SA). In her own words “I was hired as a cleaner but now I can use a computer and I’m relieving at reception”!
  6. Open communication channels. Keeping employees informed about what is going on in the company and keeping management informed about the happiness levels of employees through different channels of communication, such as regular employee surveys and one-on-one chats, make for a happy working environment.
  7. Fair and proper compensation and benefits. One-fits-all salaries and benefits packages are old news. Companies with happy working environments tailor salaries and benefits packages to each employee individually.
  8. A stake in the business. Giving employees a stake in the business by allowing them to share in the profits (especially when everyone from the boss to the cleaner gets the same amount) or getting or buying shares in the company boosts happiness and helps them feel more connected to the company.
  9. Family friendly benefits Companies with happy work environments do not see employees’ families as unwanted distractions. They do everything in their power to help employees balance work and family life by offering generous maternity leave, in-house child care and other measures.
  10. Well-designed workspaces. Happy work environments offer well-designed workspaces that make it possible for employees to perform distraction-free work. They also make sure that the workspaces and office equipment are ergonomically designed to prevent strain injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), back and neck pain and eye strain.

 

Sources

Dishman, L. 2013. Secrets of America’s happiest companies. Retrieved from: http://www.fastcompany.com/3004595/secrets-americas-happiest-companies
Durkin, P. Chockful of secrets for happy staff: a rare factory tour of best place to work, Mars. 2014. Retrieved from: http://www.brw.com.au/p/leadership/chockful_best_secrets_work_happy_ALSYhMmodOG43JnALPGLWM
James, G. 2012. Secrets from the world’s happiest workplace. Retrieved from: http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/happier-workplace-4-tips-from-iceland.html
Moran, G. 2012. Secrets of happy employees. Retrieved from: http://www.entrepreneur.com/blog/224569
Smith, F. 2013. Best Places To Work 2013: what makes a great place to work? Retrieved from:
http://www.brw.com.au/p/leadership/best_places_to_work_what_makes_great_mo8J0YPEqYkln7Xxb2y0oI
Spartanies are bold. Retrieved from: http://www.spartan.co.za/employee-testimonials/
What makes a great workplace? 2010. Retrieved from: http://www.kahlerslater.com/content/pdf/What-Makes-a-Great-Workplace-white-paper.pdf