As the old adage says, money can’t buy happiness. In a workplace setting, while employees’ financial wellbeing is essential, this is not equal to being happy. Employers may treat their employees by providing periodic pay hikes, awarding annual bonuses, and allowing paid time off, but these perks do not necessarily evoke workplace happiness. To celebrate World Happiness Day of 2022, let’s take a look at what accounts for workplace happiness. 

Money = Happiness?

What makes most workplaces seem unhappy? A study conducted by psychologists at Cangrade finds that one of the things that predict job satisfaction among employees is indeed money. It has been proven that people were driven to push their limits and decide to go to work because of money. Increasing compensation definitely is a key to improved performance by the employees. 

However, there is no use in earning so much money if you are never truly happy and many employees nowadays think this way too. Job satisfaction and positive workplace culture are what employees value as much as money, if not more. This underlines that finding happiness in the workplace is more about self-awareness, acknowledgment, and personal happiness – they go beyond gaining material possession like a high salary.

Make Employees Happy with Little to No Cost

HR managers should strive to uncover the best ways to keep people happy at work since happiness is proven to boost productivity and even engagement. Here are a few things that may make a workplace a source for employees’ happiness.

1 . Sense of Security

While getting a paycheck is indeed what employees long for every month, it is not as much of a relief as knowing that their workplace provides a sense of security. Employers who are legally compliant and whose business operation is properly regulated will make employees feel safe working there. This sense plays an important part in nurturing workplace happiness in the long run. 

2 . Transparency

Transparency is also how a sense of security is implemented. Transparency has a significant impact on how both employers and employees acknowledge and address the company’s challenges. While a raise and promotion are essential, what employees really want to know is how the company is doing. Transparency is free, yet it leads to ongoing engagement between both parties.

Read Also: How to Deliver Constructive Criticism to Your Employees? 

3 . Recognition

When employees are recognized for their hard work and given proper rewards for it, they will be happy working for their employers. When talking about employee recognition, it actually extends beyond take-home pay and annual bonus; small recognitions matter too. This can be in the form of shopping vouchers, additional PTO, souvenirs, and other simple gifts that are given for milestones at work. 

4 . Chance for Career Growth

Employees would be happier and more driven if they had more developed talents and better work possibilities. As an employer, you need to realize that employees’ loyalty to your company should go hand in hand with a chance for them to grow in their careers. Provide strategies that enable employees to advance or be promoted after a certain period of employment. While this increases happiness among employees, as they know they can grow with you, your company’s retention rate will increase and the turnover rate decrease as well!

5 . Solid Communication among Everyone

Last but not least, you need to emphasize the art of communication among everyone in your company, regardless of their job levels and departments. Many employers fail not because the service or product is bad, but because the people who keep the business operation running do not have a clear communication channel. Top-level management may not feel the need to inquire about their staff, while the staff feels like it is useless to speak up to their managers due to fear of being ignored. An elaborate personal communication session, such as eating lunch together or going out for karaoke after work hours, may help managers and employees form strong bonds. As a manager, invite your employees to express their thoughts; they will be grateful, and on the other side, explain the company’s requirements in the most pleasant way possible!

Increasing employee happiness is not always about a fat paycheck or flashy perks. The list may go on and on when companies show true concern for their employees’ needs and treat them with respect at work in order to offer them the respect they deserve. Managers and employers should work towards workplace happiness together to cultivate a warm company culture that favors everyone equally. Only then, we can have World’s Happiness Day with a smile!

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