In the ongoing effort to engage and retain workplace talent, one distinct element rings true. Employees who are happy in their jobs are more likely to stay there. But what does it take to improve the level of happiness? Here are seven suggestions:
- Provide Greater Flexibility
The pandemic has changed the way many employees think about going to work. Those who were forced to work from home or other remote locations proved that they don’t always have to be in the office to get work done. Companies that are more flexible about allowing employees who want to work from home the opportunity to do so—at least some of the time—will have less trouble retaining workers.
There’s even a trend of giving workers more free time to help cultivate a happier workplace. In instances where workers are fully remote, this could mean encouraging them to turn off their computers at the end of the workday or to not look at email again until the next morning. For others, it could mean being creative about hybrid or in-office schedules and breaks, depending on each employee’s preferences and family obligations.
“Offering flexibility is critical to creating a happy workforce,” said Brett Allcorn, CEO and founder of Pineapple, a health supplement provider. As an example, Allcorn shared that an employee in the operations department asked if she could go to the gym to work out every afternoon. “I immediately agreed since she had already proven herself at the company, and I trusted that she would still get her work done,” he added.
- Clearly Explain the Company’s Values, Purpose, and Culture
“Pursuing work that is meaningful and satisfying is a key way to cultivate happiness at work among employees,” said Ahron Friedberg, psychiatrist and co-author of Towards Happiness—A Psychoanalytic Approach to Finding Your Way (Routledge, 2022). He explained that there must be a good fit between workers and their work, which comes from a combination of the positive personalities that most employees bring to their jobs and the fulfilling nature of working for an organization that shares their values and vision.
- Minimize Micromanaging
Nobody likes to be micromanaged. Trusting your employees to do the right thing helps to foster a happy workplace, noted Jason Cavness, who spent 30 years in the Army in human resources before launching his own company, CavnessHR in Seattle. The happiest workplaces are those where senior leadership trusts employees to get their work done without micromanaging.“If an employee wants to take some time to go to a ballgame with his child, that should be OK,” Cavness said. Employees should be trusted to get their work done in the best way they see fit.
- Offer Opportunities for Advancement
Happy workplaces are workplaces where employees “feel a sense of purpose” and believe they have an opportunity to grow their skills and career, said Will Yang, head of growth and customer success at Instrumentl, an institutional fundraising platform that helps nonprofits in their pursuit of grants. “Employees who feel like they are stuck in a dead-end position are more likely to be unhappy at work,” he added.
- Offer Competitive Compensation
Employees need to feel that they’re being compensated fairly and in a way that reflects their position and work efforts, according to pay and benefits research. Hourly employees especially need to earn enough to pay their bills and have discretionary income, as well as to create an emergency fund for peace of mind. Workers who think they are earning less than what they should—or that their skills and credentials qualify them to earn more somewhere else—will focus on money when defining their happiness at work. In this case, receiving a raise may be a lot more important for their happiness than the other six happiness factors detailed in this article.
- Encourage Workplace Friendships
When seeking happiness at work, “relationships with colleagues and coworkers are super important.” Friedberg said. He shared examples of employees who could earn more money at other jobs, but who choose to stay at a current job because “they like their peers, they like their boss, and there is an opportunity to learn more.”
Jeannie Moravits Smith, a leadership coach and HR consultant In San Diego, noted that in her experience, the most common reason why employees are unhappy is because they don’t have rewarding workplace relationships. “People are sticking around in organizations because they feel a sense of joy, they feel they belong,” she said.
When employees are not happy, Moravits Smith will ask them why. “The lack of connection with their direct manager is the number one reason workers feel unhappy,” she explained. “When there is a mutual relationship of trust and concern, the sky’s the limit in terms of productivity, commitment, and even fostering a happier workplace.”
- Offer Psychological Safety
On occasion, employees need to share when there is something in their lives that is especially tough for them to handle, explained Jenn Lim, bestselling author of Beyond Happiness: How Authentic Leaders Prioritize Purpose and People for Growth and Impact (Grand Central Publishing, 2021) and CEO of Delivering Happiness, a consulting firm dedicated to helping companies achieve a happier workplace.
“Happiness starts from within and is tied to that sense of higher purpose,” Lim said. “An open door and resources that allow employees to discuss personal issues helps them feel that their workplace is there for them as they work through issues that are stopping them from being happy.”
Jan Yager, Ph.D., is a sociologist, business and relationship coach, and author based in Stamford, Connecticut.