Employee happiness explained

Employee happiness is about more than simply enjoying the work you do. Being happy at work means having work that gives you a sense of fulfilment, that challenges you, that you get excited about and that motivates you. It is a way of working, and to some extent that happiness is in your own hands. That does not mean you are always happy at work, though, because it is also tied to a range of external factors: your colleagues, your situation at home, your workplace and so on. The definition of employee happiness therefore differs from company to company and depends on what people need. If there has been a reorganisation, for example, and people are afraid of losing their jobs, it is essential to win back their trust before you start working on happiness at work. So it pays to know what it actually means for your people.

5 essential elements of employee happiness

Employee happiness depends on a number of different aspects. However, research shows that the following five elements have the greatest influence on how happy people are at work:

Meaningful work Autonomy The right people in the right place Small teams Time for relaxation and creativity Supportive management Clear goals Coaching and feedback Leadership development Modern Performance Management An outstanding working environment A flexible, human working environment Attention and recognition Open, flexible workspaces A diverse culture The opportunity to grow A focus on talent Career growth opportunities Personal development A strong learning culture Trust in leadership Mission and purpose Investing in people, trust Transparency and communication Inspiration

As an organisation, you can facilitate all of this. Do you want happy people who perform well? Then make sure these five elements of employee happiness are in order.

Why is it such a hot topic?

It is nothing new that people like to be happy, but in recent years that has also become an important value at work. Values such as friendship and happiness are now making their way onto the shop floor. Where does that come from? Organisations used to work top-down. You had a boss who told you what to do. Those relationships are steadily changing. Employees have far more power today. As a result, work is becoming much more human and more personal, and so happiness at work is becoming more important too.

What does employee happiness deliver?

It is not a business model in itself, but when you line up all the scientific evidence, you see that the employee experience of happiness has positive consequences for people (openness to new experiences and creativity, for example) and for the organisation as a whole. When employees experience more happiness at work, they are more creative, work more efficiently and are able to put in real effort. More happiness at work therefore leads to better performance. If an organisation takes all of this into account, there is a great deal of value (and therefore new business) to be gained over time.

How can software contribute to employee happiness?

Software like Treams can make an enormous contribution to the employee experience and to happiness at work. It is important, for instance, that people become aware of the development they are going through. That is deeply satisfying. Software is ideally suited to looking back at earlier moments, asking someone else for feedback, or looking ahead and setting your goals.