Love isn’t a word you hear much in the workplace. Probably because it’s a place of professionalism. But at what point do we look at our work environment and think it’s become something of a drag? It really doesn’t take much, does it?
One bad performance review, one conversation with a teammate gone wrong, or even just one bad day of weather can start snowballing until an employee is questioning whether they’re in the right place. Then, comes the job search!
The truth of the matter is employees, managers, everyone wants to feel inspired, supported, passionate and driven by what they do and who they work with and employers have to find a way to fulfill some of that. Here are some stats to prove sometimes employees just need a little extra love!
Read It and Weep
71% of employees who feel their managers can name their strengths feel engaged and energized by their work
78% of employees who report having a meaningful discussion with their manager about their strengths feel their work is making a difference and is appreciated
85% of Millennials would feel more confident in their current position if they were able to have more frequentperformance conversations with their manager
Companies with happy employees outperform the competition by 20%
Happy employees are at least 12% more productive
36% of employees would give up $5,000 a year in salary to be happier at work
Work friendships boost employee satisfaction by 50%
Employees who report being happy take 10 times fewer sick days than unhappy employees
Only 42% of employees are happy with the rewards and recognition their company provides
53% of surveyed employees said a job where they can make an impact is important to their happiness
How to Make Them Happy
Every company will have a different culture and that will largely influence what efforts are put towards showing employees love, but anyone can walk away from this reading with at least one idea to take back to the office. Here are some ideas managers can consider:
Communicate regularly with each employee on the team to assess strengths and weaknesses and set goals. Improve the relationship by inferring personal successes, struggles and teach employees how to channel that energy into their work. The power of communication is evident from the stats above! Don’t let it go to waste.
Treat your people to perks like occasional in-house massages, complimentary lunch, or a keg of beer for the office on a Friday. Surprising employees with these special treats is a great way to remind them that they are valued, appreciated and thought of regularly by their superiors.
Remember to celebrate the good times! Put resources towards throwing parties (fun ones) for special milestones or holidays. Get input from teams as to what kind of food, drinks, games, etc. they would appreciate having at those parties.
Give recognition and praise when the opportunity arises. Whether it’s a quick email about how appreciative you are that an employee took some initiative or a special recognition given at the weekly staff meeting, giving praise where it’s deserved is never a bad thing. Managers have much more to gain in doing this, not just in terms of happy employees, but also in terms of performance management.
The Takeaway
Engagement is one of the key ingredients of a high performing workforce, which is why companies chase after it year after year. A piece of advice: stop chasing. What these statistics show us is that engaging employees can be realized by some of the most basic, practical and inexpensive methods yet. With the right insights, planning, and tools, managers can make at least one of these ideas a reality. What is your company doing to show its people the love?
This blog originally featured on the iRevü blog.
Bio: Michael Heller
Michael Heller has 20+ years of experience in strategic human resources, talent management and technology consulting. As an HR executive at Washington Consulting, Digital Management and Deltek, Michael led teams to develop innovative human capital management programs and initiatives. Previously, Michael held a variety of positions at American Management Systems and Booz Allen Hamilton where he executed on talent acquisition, total rewards, performance management, strategic HR partnership and philanthropy strategies.
Michael serves the community as a board member of Teardrops to Rainbows, an organization dedicated to supporting families of children with cancer. Michael has a Masters degree in Human Resources from Georgetown University and earned his Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Connecticut. Michael resides in Gaithersburg, Maryland with his wife and daughter and enjoys cooking and college basketball.
