Happiness is said to be a state of mind. It could be achieved at any time/ place. Enjoying Happy work in any workplace barely happens —because of poor working conditions. It’s time to boost your enthusiasm for your work.
Have you ever heard this catchphrase “work and happiness”? I guess you have. Working should surely be accompanied by happiness. It’s a must for every human to find something to do. Happy work needs to be observed in almost every workplace. Unfortunately, it isn’t happening like that. Thousands to millions of employees around the world hold a lot of grievances against their employers.
Are you happy with the work you do today? Different surveys have revealed that most workers feel unhappy about their current work and so desire to find new ones.
At Pew Research Center, a new survey has revealed that about one-in-five workers (22%) say they are very likely to look for a new job in the next six month.
In this post, I would talk about how to work and be happy at the workplace and further explain how employees or companies can provide a flexible environment that will motivate workers to work hard. There are a few important things that help in giving happiness to employees.
Working conditions must be favorable to workers. This will surely motivate them to work hard and be productive. We can learn a lot from the big companies and how they encourage their employees.
Walmart, this company is known to hold the largest number of employees in the world; That is 2.3 million. Can you guess if all the employees are working in happiness? It’s a big challenge most companies face. In reality, I don’t think you will get 100% happy working conditions in any workplace.
Medium and small-size companies are picking some of the administrative principles from these giant companies.
“Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.” —Aristotle
We’ve heard some of the workers in other bigger companies like Facebook share their displeasure at the workplace. However, this is challenged by the company’s ever-changing policies. Criticism from workers and customers against giant companies is very common.
Humans need good working conditions at all times to motivate them to work hard with happiness to boast production. Any company or employer that prioritizes employee happiness is likely to see an increase in profits.
How Companies Or Employers Can Ensure Happiness At The Work Place
Surely, we all work to earn something to pay bills, take care of ourselves, our families, etc.
If there is nothing like happy work at the workplace, the employee runs the risk of going through depression and other mental health issues. This undoubtedly affects production. So let’s take a look at how to make workers happy.
1. Motivation
Motivation at the workplace is very necessary to boost production. Whether it is intrinsic or extrinsic motivation, the worker ends up feeling happy. Motivation for your workers could be about promotions, giving remuneration packages, motivational speeches, etc,
2. Regular Meetings
There must be a conducive environment for all workers to share their thoughts on issues that concern their lives at the workplace. To make this possible, there must be regular meetings. Addressing workers’ grievances during meetings gives them a great sense of relief.
Again, it gives them peace of mind a sense of belongingness. This could also be the best time for the employer to project his annual target and encourage his workers to work assiduously in achieving that.
Other benefits include; finding solutions to certain challenges such as negative feedback from customers, loopholes in the administration, field of work, etc.
Discussing other sensitive issues with workers helps get fresh and relevant ideas for solving both internal and external problems that affect production and the company’s reputation. In the end, this will help strengthen the cooperation among workers, administrators and even customers.
3. Prioritize the Health Of Workers
If there is proper health insurance for workers, they will surely feel happy working for you as an employer. If a company decides to pay the cost of medical bills of its workers, they would be motivated to work hard.
Without good health, people can’t be in the office or in the field to work. When free medical help is given, there would be a record of enough healthy and active workers who can help boost production or maximize profits.
4. Food
In rare cases, some employees provide food for their workers. This is no doubt one of the best technical strategies that inspire workers to love the work and work hard with happiness.
It has been known that one major thing that brings about happy work in certain workplaces is because of the free food provision; I’m talking about breakfast, lunch and supper.
Recently, Elon Musk acquired Twitter and it has been reported that —this billionaire is planning to abolish the free meal service. He sees that unnecessary and in his defense, he argues that when the food is prepared —staff doesn’t show up to eat in the first place.
As a new Boss of Twitter, he sees an increase in expenditure (because of the free food) resulting in financial woes.
He said an estimated $400-plus per lunch is served. Again, roughly a cost of $13 million a year also comes from the headquarters in San Francisco.
Scraping off free food in any company will surely aggrieve a lot of the workers. They will certainly not feel happy. In fact, it’s a costive deal to feed your workers freely and so proper management and accountability are needed.
5. Sleep/Nap
The human body is just like a machine. It also goes through wear and tear. Sitting in the office for several hours without any kind of relaxation is very bad. Research has changed the face of the argument that prohibits sleep in the workplace.
Today, it is highly recommended in several developed countries such as Japan, South Korea and other European countries to allow stressed and tired workers to enjoy some periods of sleep while at the workplace.
“Work is not always required. There is such a thing as sacred idleness.” —George MacDonald
Taking a nap at the workplace isn’t something to be joked about. If you run a business and seriously want to make your workers happy, then think about this.
A psychiatrist and sleep specialist named Rita Aouad from Ohio State University said:
“Lots of research shows that a nap of about 20 minutes in the afternoon has a positive effect on attention vigilance mood and alertness.”
It is highly beneficial to the human body and the brain to rest for a while. In South Korea, the City Government of Seoul allows workers to take small sleep at the workplace to refresh and re-energize themselves to boost production. This is a rare kind of happy work condition anyone could have.
Certain big companies have acknowledged the importance of allowing their employees to take some naps while at the workplace. Companies such as Facebook, Zappos, Proctor & Gamble, Nike, Google, etc, have designated rooms for naps. Sleep pods help workers release stress to regain strength and mental energy to help increase productivity.
Nap pods are high-tech equipment that couldn’t be afforded by medium and small size companies, however, there could be free time of taking nap to help stressed workers regain the energy lost from working for several hours at the office. This could be done traditionally (putting the head on the table, leaning in the office seat).
6. Clean Environment
When the working environment or the office is clean, it makes the employer happy at work. Beautiful offices with files and other items properly arranged help create a powerful scenery that boosts the desire to work. Scientists say having a painting of the natural environment hung on the interior wall also helps reduce stress. Again, taking a look at a green environment helps in releasing stress.
If an employer or a company ensures this kind of condition, it will naturally inspire the workers to put in their best with love. Credit goes to the companies that create beautiful environments and offices.
7. Personal Relationship With The Employer
There is nothing more beautiful than ensuring the existence of an employer-worker relationship. Being the boss doesn’t mean you should be disrespectful and unfriendly to your workers. Respect each worker and treat them well. The same respect and treatment would be reciprocated.
Have you ever seen a rude and arrogant boss before? He is the one whose own workers dislike him and so feel unhappy. They would be reluctant to put in their maximum best to increase production.
Failing to find a common ground to show love and communicate with your employers as a boss paints a bad picture of you.
Your presence could spark fear and panic among your workers. There wouldn’t be any kind of happiness in the hearts of the workers. This in the long run affects productivity.
7. Fun And Games
Just like how the old saying from James Howell goes; “all work and no play make Jack a dull boy.” I understand a lot of companies agree with the importance of organizing fan games for their workers. This should be done at least once a year.
There could be football games, jogging, volleyball, field trips, tennis and other outdoor activities to boost workers’ health and mental strength. Fun games bring love, unity, understanding and happiness into the lives of the employees.
In addition, having an end-of-year party also helps bring much joy to workers. If an employer gives out presents to his workers at the end of the year, it will also inspire and motivate them to work more with love the following year.
8. Loans And Discounts On Items
Sometimes in a business, a worker may need financial help to pay his children’s school fees, pay bills, buy essential goods, etc, but there would be insufficient money to settle down. An employer or company may formulate policies that help workers who are in financial help have access to loans and other essential items.
For instance, the company can guarantee loans for respective workers who need money to do something important to them.
Again, if you are an employer you can make your workers happy by helping them gain access to home gadgets at discount prices. Eg. Fridges, washing machines, blenders, sofas, etc,
This would be a kind of dealership between the company and the wholesale provider. It makes life simple and joyous for people who work in any place that offer this kind of service.
9. On-The-Job Training ( OJT )
At the workplace, when workers are given the opportunity to enhance their skills and knowledge by learning new things, they become happy.
The employer can organize on-the-job training to better equip workers with new skills and knowledge that would help boost production. It would also help them occupy other higher positions because of their newly acquired skills, experience, or knowledge.
10. Salary Increment
An employee in any company that barely sees an increment in salary would be unhappy at all times. The pressure to quit and find a new job would be high.
As prices of goods and services increase —so as there should be a regular and reasonable increment in workers’ salaries. This would make them feel happy and comfortable working in the company for a very long time.
Finally, if proper working conditions and better human interaction take place in any company, workers will surely be satisfied and grateful. They will love to stay and even work hard for several years.
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