There are several factors to consider when running a successful business.
You have to pick a location, do research on what your audience likes, market it aggressively, and more.
Guess what?
That’s just the tip of the iceberg.
What else?
To do all that’s required for your company, you need happy and satisfied employees.
They help ensure everything runs smoothly even in your absence.
So, what do you do?
Ensure that your workspace is a fun and happy place because if your workers are happy, that means your business will be successful too.
In this guide, we’ll go over what a happy workplace means.
More precisely, we will discuss:
- The benefits of having a good workplace
- Tips to create one
Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
What are the Benefits of a Happy Workplace?
Tip #1: Check in With Your Workers
Tip #2: Invest in Your Employees’ Growth
Tip #3: Offer Enticing Perks and Bonuses
Tip #5: Spruce up Your Workspace
Tip #7: Give Praise to Employees Consistently
Tip #8: Emphasize Work-Life Balance for Your Workers
Tip #10: Ask for and Give Feedback
Tip #11: Offer More Vacation Time
Tip #12: Compensate Your Employees Fairly
What’s a Happy Workplace?
A happy workplace is one where workers feel valued, appreciated, and productive, and as a result employee engagement goes up.
Employees are not under duress and have a good amount of control over their work.
Workers in this kind of environment feel they’re taken care of and it’s easy for them to thrive.
According to a study by Economists Prof. Oswald and Dr. Sgroi, a happy workplace leads to higher productivity.
In other words, staff get more stuff done on time.
The study reportedly found that workers who are happy in their place of work are 12% more efficient than their less happy peers.
A good example of a company that has made their workplace a happier place for their employees is Google.
They’ve invested so much in the support of their employees.
As a result, according to the study mentioned above, employee satisfaction has risen by 37%.
The environment they create for their workers is so appealing that many professionals want to work there.
Now, let’s look at the benefits of having a happy workplace.
What are the Benefits of a Happy Workplace?
We’ve explained what a happy workplace means and we’re pretty sure you want something like that for your business.
In a country like the United States where over $500 billion is lost due to workplace stress, ensuring your workers are excited at the thought of coming to work can really increase productivity.
Getting started can be a drag but the benefits far outweigh the stress.
Your employees will be happy, you’ll be happy, and your business will ultimately grow.
What other benefits are there?
For starters, a happy workplace produces…
Benefit #1: More productive and successful workers
When people are stressed, they end up being distracted at work.
That in turn leads to a downturn in productivity.
Workplace stress doesn’t just slow work down, it costs money too as stated earlier.
But things change drastically when your employees are happy with their life and work.
They can put in more hours when needed without you asking and get things done quickly.
Essentially, they become more productive.
Like Spock from Star Trek would say, “it’s only logical.”
Unhappy workers spend time thinking about what they can do besides working such as going to the restroom or getting a box of donuts because they don’t feel like getting back to what they’re supposed to be doing.
It’s a different case for people who are happy with where they’re at. They will give everything to ensure they do their job well.
Your business can be “that place” for them.
As a matter of fact, studies show that companies with high employee satisfaction rates outperformed their peers with 2.3% to 3.8% better returns per year.
You’d want that for your business, wouldn’t you?
Benefit #2: They have the right attitude to work
If your employees are unhappy, it can lead to them underperforming, holding grudges, not being productive at work, and burnout.
That kind of attitude isn’t what you need if you want your business to be successful.
You want your workers to have a more positive attitude towards work, be creative, and be forward-thinking.
Simply put, by creating a happy work environment, your employees will naturally have the right attitude towards work.
But they only need to do their job and get paid; the attitude can be sorted after they leave work.
That’s one way to look at it.
A better way to look at it is to consider the rates at which companies are changing and how competitive the market keeps getting.
The key to survival as an organization is through innovation and creativity – not just on your part but on the side of your workers too.
And according to research, being happy helps creativity.
In other words, creating a happy workplace allows your employees to be excited about working with you, and in turn, have a positive attitude towards work.
Benefit #3: Employees are able to make great decisions
Decision-making is an integral part of everyone’s lives.
You would agree that the more relaxed and happy you are, the better the decisions you make.
In a business environment where decisions and risks are needed to get the right rewards, you want to be certain that the people making those decisions aren’t stressed out.
For that to happen, they need to be in a positive work environment.
That way, they’ll be more likely to take calculated risks that can see your business move forward.
They won’t be afraid of making mistakes either as a supportive environment encourages them to learn from their mistakes rather than fear them.
Benefit #4: Teamwork and collaboration
When your workers are excited about what they do, working with their co-workers becomes fun.
Coming up with ideas is also easy.
They can brainstorm anywhere as they’re not actively trying to please their boss; they just want to get work done.
Your workers can also collaborate on different projects while they talk about what they’re going through.
When people find joy in what they do, work doesn’t seem like work anymore.
As such, they will be able to come up with innovative and creative solutions for your organization.
Problem-solving as a team will boost morale at the office.
Up next we’ll give you simple ways to create a happy work environment.
Tips, tricks, and inspiration delivered straight to your inbox.
Tip #1: Check in With Your Workers
It’s important to remember that your employees are humans who have different things going on in their lives.
A little kindness on your part would go a long way towards making them feel valued.
As such, you want to make it a practice to check in with your employees from time to time.
Find out what’s going on in their lives in a friendly manner.
For example, if the head of your marketing department told you their child was getting bullied and they’re worried about it, comfort them as much as you can.
You may not have the solution, but showing them you’re concerned about their well-being outside work is a great way to create a happy working environment.
Tip #2: Invest in Your Employees’ Growth
Are you concerned about the personal development of your employees or how much work they get done before deadlines?
Meeting deadlines is important, but if you want a happy workplace, ensuring they’re growing professionally and mentally is an initiative to consider.
Growth makes people feel they’re on the right track and that’s something to be happy about.
On the flip side, stagnancy leads to mental stress and causes them to start looking for a new place to work.
So, how can you invest in their growth?
To begin with, let them know from the onset you have a growth mindset and want to see them be the best version of themselves.
Other things you can do include:
- Paying for classes they’re interested in
- Getting them to attend conferences to acquire new skills and perspectives
- Collaborating with them to create development plans on what they want to achieve
Let’s move on!
Tip #3: Offer Enticing Perks and Bonuses
Studies show that 80% of employees prefer perks or benefits more than they do a pay rise.
Another study showed that 78% of employees are more likely to stay with their employers if they have a good benefits package.
Simply put, a pay raise is good but adding bonuses to the mix will do you one better.
So, what kind of perks and bonuses can be considered enticing?
We’re glad you asked!
Health and wellness programs, flexible working conditions, and child care are great examples to consider.
You can also throw thoughtful gifts (branded backpacks, eco-friendly bottles, or diffusers) and food into the mix.
Tip #4: Organize Fun Events
Organizing events is another way to boost workplace happiness.
Emphasis is placed on the fun!
Fun events allow your team members to relate to each other on a personal level.
They get to make friends, which makes going to work even more fun.
If you run a large organization, people from departments can meet and the event can help them share things they’re going through among themselves.
While events can be organized online, going offline would be super exciting.
It could be summer beach days, team building events, lunch events, BBQs, or fun retreats. The main aim is that your workers get to hang out together.
Sounds like something that should become a part of your company culture, right?
Don’t forget employees who work remotely.
Feel free to send them gift cards or a means for them to have fun where they are too.
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Tip #5: Spruce up Your Workspace
How appealing is your office space?
If you want people to be excited about coming to work, you might want to try designing your space a little differently from the conventional way.
Rather than using bright fluorescent lighting, you could introduce nature into your workspace.
Adding plants will make the place more inviting and healthier, with happier employees.
Certain plants are able to improve the air quality in your space and the mood.
You can also open the windows for fresh air.
Speak with an interior designer about this so they can come up with different paint and design ideas that can transform your office.
If some of your employees work remotely, you can send different items for them to spruce up their work station.
Tip #6: Invest in Wellness
You need to be concerned about the well-being of your employees because it’s the right thing to do.
They’re more productive when they are well, but that shouldn’t be the only reason you invest in wellness.
Do it because you’re concerned about their well-being.
This way, they get to see your concern is coming from a good place.
The result?
Loyalty and devotion to your company’s objectives.
It can be difficult for your workers to talk about issues concerning their health, as they may fear being stigmatized.
As such, you can let them know that it’s okay not to be ok.
How can you invest in wellness?
- Provide wellness discounts
- Give them self-care gifts
- Organize wellness challenges
- Invite professionals such as therapists, doctors, or fitness instructors to speak with your employees
Health is a defining factor in employee happiness; as such, you want to take it seriously.
Tip #7: Give Praise to Employees Consistently
According to a survey by Pew Research Center, about 57% of workers who quit their jobs in 2021 did so because they were disrespected at work.
In other words, they felt unappreciated.
And when employees feel that way, they end up quitting.
You want to avoid scenarios like this as much as possible.
Why?
Well, onboarding new employees is more expensive than retaining existing ones.
So, what do you do?
Acknowledge their work and contributions towards the growth of your company regularly.
You can create an award as a symbol of your gratitude, give them periodic shout-outs, or thoughtful gifts branded with inspiration to keep them going.
You could also write a note alongside the gift you want to give them.
To spice things up, you could make it an impromptu moment to praise them.
Essentially, your workplace is more likely to be a happy environment if you praise your employees frequently.
Tip #8: Emphasize Work-Life Balance for Your Workers
In the same Pew Research survey, 39% of U.S workers quit because they worked too many hours.
53% of employees say that jobs that allow them to have a better work-life balance are important.
There needs to be a balance between work and everyday life for your employees.
It’s important for their health, relationships, performance at work, and overall productivity.
Why do they need this work-life balance?
It ensures they are less stressed after long hours during the workday and increases their output.
Research has shown that employees perform better at work when they have a proper work-life balance.
When the balance is lost, everyone suffers the consequences eventually.
So as an employer, you need to ensure they maintain that balance to improve your team members’ quality of life.
Tip #9: Show Empathy
If you want happy employees, you need to treat them right.
We’re not just saying that!
Brain-imaging research revealed that there were activities associated with positive emotions in employees’ brains when they remembered an empathetic boss and negative emotions when they remembered bosses that weren’t empathetic.
You want to be a boss that understands what your employees are feeling at different times.
That way, you will have happy people working with you.
How can you do that?
Actively listen to them and what they’re going through when they talk, and follow up.
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Tip #10: Ask for and Give Feedback
Positive feedback is very important if you want to build a community of happy working people.
But, it has to go both ways.
Let them know that even though you’re their boss, you are open to suggestions that can move the organization forward.
This will make them feel at ease and know that their contributions are valuable.
In other words, it will give them a sense that they’re part of the team.
It’s good practice to ensure that the feedback you give, whether positive or negative, starts on a positive note and can help employees.
Appreciate them, tell them you think they can improve in these areas, and if they need any help, they can reach out to you.
You can use the opportunity to ask them for their feedback too so they don’t feel like they’re in the spotlight.
Tip #11: Offer More Vacation Time
More vacation time?
But, there’s so much work to be done.
How does offering more vacation time help?
Well, vacation time is a great chance for your workers to take a break from their cycle of hard work.
Studies show that frequent breaks improve productivity and mood.
It’s an opportunity for them to feel refreshed and ready to get back to work.
They get to clear their mind and come back to work more productive.
Giving employees the weekend off is equally important but doesn’t replace vacay time…
…we thought you should know that too.
Tip #12: Compensate Your Employees Fairly
Paying your workers fairly can’t be overemphasized.
It’s an integral part of creating a happier workplace for your employees.
It’s only right considering the effort they put into your organization.
Ensure you compensate them properly if you want to keep them happy especially if they’ve taken on more projects than usual.
Fair pay also means paying them the right amount as it relates to their role.
It would be nice if you can give them some incentives or meaningful gifts alongside their pay.
It’s not really about the money but that you consider them valuable enough to give them something.
Actions like these will motivate them to work for you even in tough times.
Tip #13: Avoid the Blame Game
Your organization is one big team and even though there are different departments, everyone still works as a unit.
In other words, if you succeed, everyone succeeds together and vice versa.
With that in mind, it would be in your best interests to avoid blaming your employees when things don’t go as planned.
Rather than dwell on the mistake, error, or setback, focus on what can be learned and how to move forward.
This is very important especially when you know everyone is putting in their best efforts.
Blaming will only demoralize your employees and productivity levels will be low.
To avoid blaming, you want to refrain from micromanaging and bring in new hires.
It’s time to wrap this up!
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Now Over to You
If you’re reading this, it means you made it to the end and we’re glad you did.
Creating a happy workplace is a step in the right direction if you wanna see your business grow.
It’s okay if you’re having difficulty incorporating all the tips listed above.
You can start by giving thoughtful gifts to your employees.
Feel free to contact us if you want us to help you with that.
We’ll be glad to see your workplace transform into a happy one.