What is workplace happiness to you? For me, it is important that the team dynamics or “vibes” are harmonious and there must be alignment of my personal values with that of the company.
I remember being asked on my first day at Actxa Wellness, “which company value resonates with me the most?”
The 5 values are: Happiness, Betterment, Sustainability, Empowerment, Community.
My answer then was happiness and it still is as it aligns with my personal values.
However, what makes me happy may not make someone else happy, as we are all in different life stages with different backgrounds and expectations.
Workplace happiness generally refers to a positive emotional state and overall satisfaction that individuals experience from their job. Workplace happiness is important as it is often associated with increased productivity, motivation, engagement, and overall wellbeing, which is also linked to employee turnover.
So how can companies build a supportive work environment that promotes workplace happiness?
Opportunities for Growth and development
Employees are generally happier when they progress and develop in their career wellbeing. While some may prefer to “cruise”, all employees should have the opportunity to learn and upskill, such as training and/or mentorship to help boost their motivation and happiness.
Encourage Work-life Balance
While hustling and overtime can increase your revenue, employee turnover will also tend to increase as employees are more likely to burnout and leave the job. Do check out our article on burnout here if you haven’t!
Having flexible work arrangements and encouraging employees to take time off when needed would also help.
Fair Compensation and Benefits
Companies should constantly review their compensation packages to ensure that they remain competitive. Afterall, if an employee feels underpaid and undervalued, it would dampen their motivation and happiness over time. In addition to medical/dental benefits, companies can explore other types of benefits such as tech gadgets, gym memberships, and wellness activities.
Do contact us to find out how employee wellbeing can be made simple for your company!
Encourage Open Communication
When there is trust among team members and managers, employees feel comfortable expressing their thoughts with a psychologically safe environment. It also provides an avenue to resolve any conflicts promptly and effectively. Open communication also empowers employees to share their ideas to feel valued. This leads to an increase in employee engagement.
It is imperative for managers to be equipped to create such psychologically safe environments. In doing so, managers and employees can clarify expectations from each other.
Lead by Example
The manager also plays an important role for the employees’ workplace happiness as their leadership style would impact their employees’ work environment. According to a study conducted by Anna Nyberg, a stress-inducing boss could increase your chances of heart attack over a prolonged period of time [1].
One example would be the manager or someone in a leadership position, to not be afraid of admitting their mistakes openly. Employees are more likely to follow their leader and be less defensive, which helps create a positive work culture. It is also important that the leader recognises effort and celebrates small wins with the team as it creates a culture of positive reinforcement and provides a sense of accomplishment which motivates employees to continue putting their best effort.
Take Action to Employee Feedback
As employees are often the closest to day-to-day operations and the frontline, their feedback provide valuable insights into the challenges, bottlenecks, and areas for improvement. By actively listening and resolving their concerns promptly, it would help prevent prolonged frustration and create a happier work environment. It would also empower employees by giving them a voice and sense of ownership in the organisation.
If you are looking for an avenue to collect feedback and facilitate your company’s problem identification process, engage our team to find out more about our 9 wellbeing pillars questionnaire (9PQ)!
Everyone has their own struggles outside work and an unhappy person would find it difficult to be truly happy at work. In the midst of building a positive work culture to improve workplace happiness within your team, remember to take care of your personal wellbeing and happiness regardless of your position!
About the Writer
Shang You is the Wellbeing Intern at Actxa Wellness and he is a final year student from NTU Sports Science & Management. An active learner who is highly interested in fitness and wellness related content, he hopes to be able to share his learnings to help others. The great outdoors is Shang You's passion as he participates competitively in various sports such as football, softball, and baseball. If you are on the road, you may even find him going for therapeutic joy rides on his motorcycle!
References
[1] Nyberg, A. (2009). The impact of managerial leadership on stress and health among employees. Karolinska Institutet (Sweden).