Ways to Boost Staff Happiness Levels

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8 Oct. 2018. It’s awful to think that almost half of the workers in this country are unhappy at work and that many of them are seriously thinking about leaving their positions. It’s sad not only for those individuals who have to but up with dissatisfaction and even misery every day, but also for those companies who employ them.

Employees who are not happy at work tend to be less productive, less loyal and take more sick days than those who are happy, so it’s pretty important for everyone involved to put employee happiness front and center. Here are some proven strategies any business can use to boost happiness levels:

Listen and act

Perhaps the most important thing any business owner can do to boost happiness is listen to their employees and act upon the information they are being given. If your employees tell you that deadlines are too tight or that their manager is way too mean, then take that on board and see what you can do to make changes. If you listen to such feedback and are seen to act on it, employees will feel more valued and that will undoubtedly make them happier.

Improve the environment

The environment in which staff members are expected to work is a huge factor in how happy (or not) they are. For instance, office environments where there are lots of plants have been shown to be less stressful, more productive, and less prone to employee sickness, and workplaces that have brought in electrical contractors to get rid of dim lighting and replace it with more natural lighting have seen a boost in morale and productivity among other things. Teh lighter, brighter and more pleasant you can make the working environment, the happier everyone is likely to be.

Make work-life balance a priority

Where a lot of businesses go wrong is by pushing their employees too hard, expecting them to work ever-longer hours and then expecting them to be more productive This usually has the opposite effect with happiness and productivity levels (the two are closely linked) plummeting. It’s far better to give your employees more leeway, whether that be by allowing flexible working, workign from home, or even just shortening the working day. The more time they have to relax and unwind, work on hobbies and spend tie wiht family, the happier and more effective at work they will be.

Ensure they can advance

Employees want to better themselves, so if they feel like there are no opportunities for them to climb the ladder at their place of work, they are likely to feel demoralized. As a business owner, it is up to you to provide a clear pathway with plenty of opportunities for advancement. If they know they can progress, they will feel more motivated, which will make them happier, and you will benefit by them workign harder to achieve their goals, too.

Happy employees make for a more successful business, so don’t neglect your staff’s satisfaction levels and do all you can to make them happy if you want your business to blossom.

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