Though most people do ultimately work to bring home a paycheck, happiness in the workplace should not be overlooked—especially when you consider the cost and reputation perks of increased employee retention. If you haven’t thought much about whether your employees are happy at work, they may already be seeking employment elsewhere. In fact, polls suggest that about 60% of millennials are open to new job opportunities, and this group represents a growing majority of the American workforce. Therefore, it might benefit your business to check in on your employee morale and gain a better understanding of what works when it comes to boosting happiness in the workplace.

Why Employee Morale Matters

Happy employees tend to be hardworking employees, particularly when happiness stems from more than a decent salary. What you pay your employees only accounts for part of their total picture of job satisfaction, so you might also consider how engaged your employees are in your brand. When employee happiness stems from a strong connection to your business and a feeling that employees are a part of something bigger than their individual efforts, your business can go further. You won’t waste money constantly training new hires, and you can shape your business with the input of your eager and engaged staff.

What to Look for in Happy Employees

One way to assess how happy your employees are is to ask them head on. You might send out surveys that can be filled out anonymously, which will encourage honest responses. In addition, you can gauge employee happiness by looking for the following qualities in your staff:

  • Personal connections. One of the most frequently cited reasons for leaving a job is that the position simply wasn’t a good fit. Often, this feeling can be resolved when employees feel more valued as individuals with an effort from management and coworkers to understand their unique interests and talents.
  • Motivated attitudes. If your employees tend to drag their feet through daily tasks or seem overwhelmingly excited to go home each day, they may not be feeling motivated or inspired by their work. Checking in with your employees to gauge their current project loads and ensure that they aren’t under too much stress can inspire some added motivation from your staff, helping you get through even the busiest weeks.
  • Increased engagement. When employees offer suggestions for growth or improvement of your company, this is a sign that they are thinking of sticking around for an extended period. That means you should take these suggestions seriously to create the workplace that your employees want to be a part of.

Here at Pennington Creative, we have worked hard to foster a loyal and dedicated team. For a more in-depth look at what we’ve learned about employee satisfaction, download our Employee Engagement eGuide.

About the Author

Marissa - Digital Marketing Manager, Account Services
Marissa Storrs

Digital Marketing Manager, Client Engagement