Generally speaking, when we talk about happiness at work, it is common to associate the term with a utopia, or with that “ideal” state that, in the end, does not exist. Or, when we ask ourselves what keeps an employee in a company, we automatically think of money.
However, for some years now, and thanks to advances in terms of corporate well-being, employees have begun to value other factors (beyond financial compensation) when choosing a place to spend most of their day.
Among these factors is the “emotional salary”, which is made up of all those social benefits offered by companies, as well as other subjective variables such as, the level of happiness that a person can develop at work. In this sense, multiple studies have shown that having a balance between work and personal life, as well as having options for professional development, represent determining factors when evaluating new job offers, especially in the new generations.
In this way, happiness at work has become one of the key factors for retaining talent and creating a good working environment in which employees feel committed and increase productivity and efficiency. This is why fostering happiness at work should be one of the key goals of all Human Resources departments in companies.
What is happiness at work?
When we talk about happiness at work, we refer to employee well-being characterised by a positive state of mind when performing their duties within an organisation. This state is expressed through an optimistic and proactive attitude, as well as a greater willingness to perform their duties.
Numerous studies have shown that happy employees are more productive, creative and committed to their companies. In contrast, it has been observed that people who are unhappy in the workplace are more likely to develop other problems such as burnout or an increase in absenteeism.
In addition, a company culture that fosters happiness at work and employee well-being not only attracts the best talent, but also contributes to long-term employee retention by reducing excessive job turnover.
So happiness at work is not just a luxury or an idealistic goal but could be seen as a cornerstone for companies to achieve business success. Promoting happiness at work represents, for organisations, an opportunity to increase staff engagement and productivity.
Benefits of fostering happiness at work
When talking about happiness at work, it should not be seen as an “extra” within companies, but rather as a fundamental factor, capable of bringing multiple benefits to the organisation. Among them we can mention:
| Benefits of fostering happiness at work | |
| 1. | Increases employee productivity and efficiency |
| 2. | Improves talent retention |
| 3. | Enhances the work environment and team satisfaction. |
| 4. | Increases creativity and innovation. |
| 5. | Reduces absenteeism and staff turnover. |
| 6. | Promotes healthier and more collaborative working relationships. |
| 7. | Improves the company’s reputation. |
| 8. | Increases employee commitment and loyalty to the organisation. |
Cultivating happiness at work
Of course, in order to achieve so-called “happiness” in the work environment, different variables need to be aligned. And both parties, company and employee, must do their part to develop a positive working environment in which happiness at work can be achieved. For this to happen, the following must be present:
Positive work environment
This means creating a working environment where collaboration, mutual respect and open communication are valued. It is also important that the pursuit of happiness at work is seen as a factor to be cultivated every day, rather than just “once in a while” (e.g. through events or team buildings), in order to make it more sustainable over time.
Work-life balance
Promoting a healthy work-life balance is essential to achieving happiness at work. Therefore, a company that can offer flexible scheduling, remote work options and equitable leave policies positions itself as an attractive option for new employees by providing effective ways to support this balance.
Personal and professional development
Providing professional and personal development opportunities is crucial to achieving happiness at work, as it fosters employee growth and satisfaction. This can include training programmes in different areas, mentoring, psycho-educational programmes, and support for the development of soft skills.
Culture of recognition
Other factors that can promote the development of happiness at work are celebrations of achievements, recognition of employees’ hard work and constructive feedback. This can be done through recognition programmes, awards, bonuses or simply expressing gratitude regularly.
These actions can motivate people to perform their roles to the best of their ability, strengthen relationships between staff members, and encourage a sense of purpose and greater commitment to the organisation.
Mental well-being solutions
Prioritising employees’ mental well-being is one of the most important factors in fostering happiness at work. This involves everything from creating spaces for open communication to offering psychological well-being plans that can provide therapeutic assistance to those who may need it. Well-being solutions can also help employees to foster self-care strategies and habits.
Consequently, if employees feel cared for and supported when facing difficulties, this will greatly strengthen their sense of belonging to the company and increase happiness at work.
The role of leadership in happiness at work
While happiness, as a concept, is a state in which the subjective part of the employee plays a fundamental role, it is also true that the context and interpersonal relationships can influence it, for better or worse.
In this sense, within the work environment, team leaders, managers or directors play a crucial role in creating a culture of happiness at work. They have the responsibility to listen to their employees, in order to create spaces of open communication, trust and empathy, which are key for a person to experience a certain degree of well-being.
Leaders have the ability to inspire, motivate and empower their teams, serving as role models in terms of positive attitudes, communication skills and problem-solving skills. They are therefore a key player in fostering happiness at work.
Supporting mental well-being in organisations
At ifeel, we know that cultivating happiness at work is not only the responsibility of employees, but also of leaders and the organisation as a whole. By prioritising the mental well-being and employee commitment, we will not only reap the benefits in terms of productivity and business success, but we will also contribute to creating a more humane world of work.
To support companies in this process, our team of expert workplace well-being psychologists has created a mental well-being solution for businesses that improves talent retention, reduces presenteeism, and combats employee stress.
With our mental well-being solution, your company’s HR managers can receive personalised, data-driven advice on improving mental health at work. In addition, this solution offers employees a 360° mental well-being service structured at different levels according to their needs. Try our solution now to see how it could help you.
We hope you found this article about happiness at work interesting. If you would like more information about our mental well-being solution for companies, simply request it, and we will contact your team as soon as possible.
