Are Your Employees Happy At Work?

The average person spends one third of their life at work, and that’s an estimated 90,000 hours over a lifetime. After dedicating so much time to our craft, we have to wonder, what actually keeps employees happy and motivated? And how can we create a better working environment for everyone to enjoy?This International Happiness Day, let’s delve into how businesses can create a thriving work environment where employees can derive satisfaction and fulfilment in the office.

Happy Employees, Successful Business

Happiness is a key driver and precursor of success. Studies have shown that employees with high job satisfaction generally demonstrate greater productivity, engagement, and loyalty to their companies. As businesses and organisations hunt for ways to increase efficiency and boost profits, perhaps the best solution would be to take a look at employee happiness and how that can be maximised. Moreover, it’s been proven that employee happiness leads to a higher employee retention rate.

Let’s take a look at the reigning champion for great company culture: Google. Known for providing its team with outrageous perks such as free meals, nap pods, and on-site gyms, the company even employs people to keep their employees happy, acknowledging the importance of incentive and motivation. Google also realised that good management is key - by creating a company culture on trust, employees will be more driven to deliver the highest quality of work.

Leadership is Key

We cannot discount the importance of good leadership in prioritising a better employee experience. A good leader realizes that happiness must be taken seriously, and takes the necessary steps to ensure that employees work in a positive and nurturing environment. At Canon, we realise that stressful situations are inevitable at work, but stress does not equate to productivity. Leaders must do all they can to build a happy team in the workplace, or suffer the consequences of low team morale, high turnover rates, and even health risks amongst their employees.

A good leader also understands that by leading with values, they can ensure that the whole team is connected by and driven towards the same purpose. Canon’s Senior Director & General Manager of Canon’s Business Imaging Solutions, Vincent Low, has a few tips on how a common set of core values not only fosters stronger team culture, but also propels a team to achieve greater heights.

Communication is Key

Managers and employees often see things differently - that’s why it’s important for leaders to constantly check-in with their team and take a walk in their shoes. As emphasised by Forbes, establishing and maintaining open avenues of communication are key to retaining top employees. However, simply listening isn’t enough. Management should make a concerted effort to take feedback – whether positive or negative – into account, and act on it wherever possible. Regular talks with employees allow leaders to hear them out, while also being able to understand different points-of-view from the team. With keen insights into the business and employees, your employees will feel appreciated and valued.

While building a company around happiness is not an easy feat that can be done in one day, recognising the need for a human experience in the workplace is the first step towards taking responsibility and promoting a positive change - and that could be well worth the time and effort.

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Are Your Employees Happy At Work? - Business Insight