Happiness at work – why it matters and how managers play a vital role
Written by Mark Price CMgr CCMI CVO Wednesday 21 August 2024
Any organisation that is serious about driving productivity and improving performance cannot underestimate the importance of workplace happiness.
Imagine I told you that it is possible to achieve the following growth statistics for your business:
- 20% better productivity
- shrinkage down by 28%
- 41% improvement in quality (fewer defects).
These improvements are all possible with a happy workforce.
Happy employees are also more loyal, meaning staff turnover is lower; they are healthier (fewer sick days); and they are less likely to suffer from stress.
The benefits are clear, then – but creating a happy organisation doesn’t just happen. There are too many vulnerabilities, not least the vast numbers of accidental managers who can easily scupper the best of intentions.
A Better Managed Britain
CMI’s landmark study into the state of UK management and leadership found that 82% of managers are ‘accidental managers’.
More key findings
So, how do you create a happy workforce?
I have used all my years of experience running Waitrose supermarkets in the UK, as well as sitting on numerous boards and visiting countless businesses worldwide as a UK trade minister (and my time building WorkL), to identify six elements that drive happiness and satisfaction at work, and therefore engagement of employees. (You can read more in my book Happy Economics.)
Below you’ll find the six elements, along with tips to help you implement them within your organisation:
1. Reward and recognition
At work, it’s all about the money, right? Well, yes and no. When it comes to happiness and engagement, pay is important, but recognition can be a far more powerful motivator.
To create a culture focused on recognising good work, managers should regularly tell individuals they are appreciated for their efforts. Also, they should encourage everyone to recognise one another, to create a high degree of social wellbeing, which is a vital component to overall wellbeing.
Managers should also meet regularly with teams, either virtually or in person, to talk about performance. The goal is to talk about successes and be positive and encouraging, at the same time as providing regular coaching and feedback. This is a dynamic and supportive way to help individuals feel they are learning, rather than being criticised.
2. Information sharing
There are many reasons why misunderstandings in the workplace occur. Communication processes may be poor and/or employee induction sloppy. New hires are all too frequently expected to somehow learn on the job through some sort of corporate osmosis.
Often, though, the omission of information is deliberate. Those higher up in the organisation don’t share what they know with their teams. Some managers have the attitude that information is power, and they are not going pass it on to anyone else, no matter what.
People don’t enjoy being left in the dark. If you don’t have the information, you cannot do your job properly.
- How to avoid communication breakdown in a distributed team
- Struggling to get your point across? Discover the art of explanation
When managers do not share information, it makes the team feel like they are not important.
Read on for four more ways to build a happy workforce…
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