Happiness is an Inside Job

Let’s be honest, compared to years gone by and even before COVID, fewer employees bring their smiles to work on a regular basis. Depending upon which source you want to believe, 50-70% of the American workforce is disengaged and/or unhappy. 

There was a time when being positive, upbeat, and happy was a given. As an employer, offering them a job was enough. In today’s “me” world, it’s not enough! The challenging question is… is it worth the price and effort to intentionally create a happy work environment.

Here are some fascinating, yet not surprising, facts that prove having happy employees will reap great rewards. Companies with happy employees…

• Have 50% fewer workplace accidents
• Happy employees have 37% less absenteeism
• Companies with happy employees outperform their competition by 21%
• 69% of employees said they would work harder if they were better appreciated
• Employees who like their job are 10 times more likely to deliver good service

The statistics of happy vs unhappy employees are startling.  

As owners and managers, it’s easy to zero in on those things that employees do wrong, and we take for granted the things they do right. 

Psychologists will tell you, “Behaviors that get rewarded get repeated”.  If you want your staff to exhibit more customer-friendly behaviors, you need to recognize those behaviors. 

If you aren’t intentionally creating a work environment that breeds happy employees, start doing so today. 

When it comes to creating a culture of happiness, start at the beginning. Tip #1 in the Twelve Ways to Create Happy Employees is “Hire Based on Attitude, Effort, and Honesty”.  Attitude will win over skill nearly every time. Skills can be taught; attitudes are hard to change.  Effort nearly always follows attitude one way or the other, and you can never go wrong with hiring based on honesty.

The rewards of happy employees will pay huge dividends!  

To improve morale and productivity in your company, click here and read the Twelve Ways to Create Happy Employees.