Happy Working People!

Work, is considered by most people, as a form of enslavement. Demanding bosses, overtime, difficult colleagues, tedious tasks, lack of motivation, a basic salary and the list goes on and on...

Yet, there are positive exceptions. There are companies however, some small others big, that have employees who are indeed satisfied with their professional environment; one may even say, they are happy!

How is this possible? Are these employees, people with unusual abilities or do these companies know the secret to happy productivity? Or both? We have investigated and discovered some of their secrets and we share them with you:

The creation of a family context in a small company or a large company with many departments, changes the emotional response of the employee. When the employee feels at home in their work context, when he feels appreciated and respected by management, they will want to make a difference and walk the extra mile. We react differently to an indifferent boss, and differently to a boss who is accessible and supportive, who provides the motivation to excel.

Knowledge of the employee’s personal background. Companies who make it their business to know and understand their employee’s background, are better able to provide the correct incentives for employee performance. An employee who is a single parent or has a sick parent at home, will require different incentives and support from management for them to be productive and perform to the best of their abilities.

Support during times of personal crisis. Employees are not just employees. Divorce, bereavement, illness are only some of the serious problems that employees may have to deal with whilst juggling the demands of their position. A company that presents a human face during these difficult times and displays understanding, will no doubt gain the employee’s gratitude and appreciation.

Regular breaks and holidays. Whoever said that working non-stop was good for us? This attitude, as is widely accepted, can only lead to exhaustion, and burn out. Astute leaders encourage their employees to take regular breaks and holidays because they know that when their employees are at work, they will be fully focused, rested and dedicated to their work, with clear minds and fresh ideas.

Small or big Salaries. Salary and social benefits comprise the key remuneration of every employee. Anything extra offered to the employee, like a gift-card for a supermarket or a bookstore, a gym subscription, small bonuses and gifts, boosts the employee’s psychology and contributes to building a stronger bond between the company and its employees.

Recognition. Maybe the most important issue for any employee, beyond salary and social benefits, is the acknowledgment of their working abilities. Every private or public commendation provides an employee with a sense of satisfaction and pride, and acts as a strong incentive for better job performance.

Incentives for better performance. As mentioned above, gift cards and recognition are very important, but as we are discussing work, the best incentives are salary increases and promotion. If an employee works hard, without the prospect of any form of development, either financial or professional, then it’s just a matter of time till they begin to feel stagnate and disillusioned.

Continual training. Employees, who take part in training courses, not only develop their skill and knowledge base, but they improve their curriculum vitae and feel security as their company is investing in them. The company in turn gains a more skilled and enthusiastic work force.

Encouraging initiative. Some people believe that whatever is safe or usual or tested is “right”. Yet these words, in personal and professional life, are synonymous with stagnation. Companies need to move forward, taking a certain degree of risk, in order to meet the challenges of competition in the market place. Companies are made up by their people, their human resources - from senior management to low grade workers. As such it is important that each person be encouraged to take initiative without fear of reprisal if something goes wrong. This is the only way for them to discover innovations, which will push the company forward and give it the market edge.

The best leaders lead by example. Big words by company leaders are not enough. We all know that management closely observes their employees, but employees also observe management. As such, leaders should always lead by example. Only this kind of leadership earns the real respect of the employees and dedication to the corporate vision.

Trust and Encouragement for initiatives. When a company hires an employee for a particular position, it essentially gives them its vote of confidence. This means the company believes in the person’s abilities and skills and, as such, doesn’t have to oversee the employee all the time but review their overall job performance. Furthermore, for the purposes of efficiency it is important that every employee has the appropriate training and knowledge in order to be in a position to resolve any issue that may arise in their area of responsibility.

Empowerment of the employee’s personality. It is integral that a company have a common identity, vision and targets. This can be achieved however through different personalities with diverse approaches to every problem /challenge / opportunity.

Cooperation through disagreement. At this point, someone may disagree and remind us how important harmony is in any co-operation. Do you really believe that employees from different departments perceive problems or challenges in a similar way? They have very different personalities, which is why they hold different positions, within the same company. The fact is that difference of opinion between colleagues is healthy and constructive in the quest for the best proposal, as long as they use diplomatic means, and there is a common disposition to arrive at a consensus.

Feedback. The leader of a company, the senior management and the supervisors should give their employees regular feedback about their job performance and the direction of the company in the marketplace. This feedback, whether positive or negative, provides the employees with a sense of being part of a team and the company, and that they are working together towards a common corporate vision.

Nowadays, most companies have an HR (Human Resources) department recognizing the fact that the most important asset of any company is their people: their talent, their intellect and spirit, their time and devotion to get their job done. Every company should safeguard the well-being and happiness of their employees. They deserve it!

Happy Working People? Yes, it can be achieved!
It’s the greatest success of any company!