Does your workplace energy resonate with the productivity level? Is a happy workplace really productive? These are questions that everyone, including the HR managers, get confused with! Employees come to their office to work, but does that imply they give their 100% effort every day? Maybe not!
The ratio of daily productivity varies in a workplace. It primarily depends on the employee’s mindset on that particular day, apart from the work pressure. So, if an employee is happy while working, the productivity automatically increases as they are more energetic.
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Research backs the thought!
Do you think that the link between happiness and productivity is baseless? Well, research results indicate something else! Research conducted by the Oxford University’s Saïd Business School, claims that an average worker is 13% more productive if they are happy. **
The productivity of an employee depends on their mindfulness and energy. If the person is satiated and is professionally secured, they can be cheerful at work. So, focusing on the work gets easy for them. They do not need to sit the whole day at the office and spend hours on a small task. They can manage the schedule with a will to work diligently for the company.
What is workplace happiness?
Workplace happiness does not mean the employees chattering all the time or operating under minimum pressure for executing a task. It can be seen in different ways. For some, workplace happiness can be equality where employees share equal responsibility and accountability. Every employee needs to feel valued and part of the company’s progress. Increased engagement provides opportunities to encourage and hence the employees to stay motivated.
Should HRs promote it?
As an HR, it depends on how you can encourage employees to work better. Keeping them happy in their workplace by providing organizational benefits and appreciation through awards and facilitation, are the primary ways. Besides regulating a justified work-pay ratio, it is essential for HR professionals to understand the shortcomings in the overall working approach. Being an HR, focus on making the employees satisfied with their work and progress to motivate them to work better. A happy employee certainly works with more enthusiasm. So, the next time you plan a policyThe legal document issued to the policyholder that outlines the conditions and terms of the insurance; also called the ‘policy for the employee, put equal importance on productivity and employee satisfaction.
A meaningful workplace relationship
Why do you think young IT professionals switch their jobs so frequently? The salary is a major factor, but there is another aspect that people often do not pay attention to. It is the ability to grow in the limited work sphere and satisfaction. If a company can offer them the scope to expand their career with satisfactory payment, employees will not leave the company. They feel secure with the offerings and work diligently as a token of appreciation.
Any employee afraid of losing their job or feeling that they are underpaid will always keep searching for a stable professional opportunity. So, the aim is to build a secure workplace atmosphere where employees can grow fond of the company.
Job satisfaction leads to happiness in the workplace.
If an employee, is insecure about their job status should be able to communicate logically with their leader. It helps them to focus more on the job. Every employee requires validation besides a suitable paycheck, matching their efforts. Many companies miss out on this aspect and put excessive pressure on achieving numbers. If the approach is changed slightly, productivity is bound to amplify.
A practical example – Suppose an employee has to sell a certain number of products in a day, but they have failed to deliver on decided targets. Now, if the employee gets a warning from HR without getting a chance to explain their part of the story, it makes them uncomfortable and under-appreciated. Their previous performance does not get any appreciation, and they get demotivated. In contrast, if they get an opportunity to showcase their work without being worried about their job security, their confidence will naturally shoot up. It helps them get the much-needed energy to put in extra efforts and bounce back harder. This way, there will be a noticeable difference in how an employee perceives the organization and how invested they are in the growth of the company. Job satisfaction, security, and logical communication are the three pillars that support the productivity index for employees in the organization.
What steps should you take?
Understanding the essential steps to increase the productivity and happiness of the employee can be difficult. How can you ensure that an employee stays happy and contended? You can bring changes in their workplace culture and offerings by considering the following steps –
Step one: Know what the employees need
Understand the requirements of the employees and plug in the shortcomings in the employee package offerings provided by your company. Offer benefits that truly matter, like Group healthcare policies to take care of their unforeseen financial expenses during medical emergencies. You can ask them for suggestions to review the employment benefits and incorporate meaningful changes. One-on-one communication can help in knowing the employee better.
Step two: Bring changes that bring happiness.
After you have understood the expectations of the employees, check if you can alter the employee-centric policies to meet their expectations. Include service benefits covering the requirements of most employees. Focus on improving work-life balance to boost happiness and productivity. Evaluate their performance and provide positive feedback to motivate them. Motivation will make them happy and act as a productivity booster in the long run.
Step three: Build a healthy and happy workplace.
Always think from the employee’s perspective to understand what is stopping them from performing better. Work on the flaws of the company’s functioning and leadership approach to witness a change in the employee’s output. Build a happy workplace that allows employees to make a mistake and learn from it, so they never repeat a similar mistake. It is not an overnight process, so take small steps like offering service benefits(insurance, paid leaves, flexible working hours, etc.) and appreciation paybacks(incentives, work flexibility, etc.).
Focus on keeping your employees motivated to improve organizational productivity
Think long-term and practically to understand the requirements of the employees. Take a wise call while making changes to the work culture in the office and witness the increase in productivity.
** – https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2019-10-24-happy-workers-are-13-more-productive
