The ABC of happiness at work

I probably don't need to explain that to you anymore happy employees be the basis for a successful organization. But do you know what really makes your employees happy? And how do you ensure that they are and stay happy?

Out of the National Happiness Survey it appears that a job for Belgians determines 18% of our happiness. If you know that 1/5 of human happiness is found in the workplace, then as an employer, you'd better take a moment to think about this. Especially in times where 'the war on talent' is still underway, absenteeism is higher than ever and the burnout epidemic is raging.

Don't worry, I'll explain to you in this article what the ABC of happiness in the workplace is.

6.6/10 for happiness at work in Belgium

This is the average score that working Belgians give when it comes to job satisfaction. Most of the employees love their job less and less and less and work with less and less passion.

The consequences of a low happiness score at work:

• poorer service provision,
• higher absenteeism,
• lower productivity,
• and little/no influx of new candidates for open vacancies.

So it's high time to do something about this! But what exactly?

There is a lot to do about “happiness at work” these days. But what exactly is happiness at work? I'll explain it to you: “Happiness at work is a personal sense of energy and fun that you experience at work”. The formula that creates that feeling is different for everyone. However, a tool can be used to help you get started with this. I'd love to take you through the ABC of happiness at work.

The A-team of happiness at work

The A in the ABC of happiness at work actually refers to 5 A's, which together form a working person's well-being barometer. That's why we almost always use it as a starting point for an employee satisfaction survey.

• Work organization
  Is there a clear organisational structure, both horizontally and vertically? Is the division of tasks clear and correct? Are there work procedures? What management style prevails?
  
• Labour content
  Is the range of tasks sufficiently varied? Is the range of tasks not too complex and complex enough? Do people have the space to show emotions while working, or not? Is there a heavy mental and/or physical strain linked to the job? Are there training opportunities? Is feedback given and requested?
  
• Working conditions
  What kind of employment contract is there? Are the time arrangements clear? Is there room to do other things besides the function described? What salary and what other conditions are provided?
  
• Working conditions
  Has consideration been given to the design of the workplace? Is there enough space for social contacts? Are there enough places to work silently? Is there enough (day) light? Are there ergonomic aids available?
  
• Industrial relations
  What about the connection between colleagues? How are the hierarchical lines arranged? Is there sufficient space for contact with external parties or colleagues from other teams.

A serious sandwich, all these questions. If you know how to formulate a clear answer to these questions after asking your employees, you are already a long way. That way, you know what your employees find important and what it is best to (further) focus on as an employer.

Involved & Enthusiastic

Not only the commitment to the job, but also the pleasure and connection that an employee experiences, are crucial when questioning happiness at work:

• Is there sufficient internal communication?
• Is there a clear vision and have core values been defined?
• Are these values actually being lived out or is it just some shouty slogans in the conference room?

Enthusiasm also deserves sufficient attention. By enthusiasm, we mean the extent to which an employee is dedicated and therefore has a lot of energy and feels fit and vital. An enthusiastic employee is willing to add energy to work, is involved in the work and the employer, is committed to dealing with problems and enjoys working.

COMPETENCIES

How competent does an employee feel and how competent does he experience his colleagues and leaders? Does an employee feel that they can lose their qualities while doing the job? It is important that an employee gets the right balance of work quantity on the board, so that he feels that the job offers sufficient challenge and is feasible to fill.

Work & Welfare

In addition to the ABC, I would like to add the double W, for Work & Welfare. Employees attach great importance to the ABC and add motives to it themselves. For example, the salary and conditions are still important, but no longer the most important.

The appreciation that employees receive from you as a manager, on the other hand, motivates and increases the sense of happiness in the workplace. After all, getting opportunities to grow through learning and development moments are important motives for your employees.

We end the list with the well-being of employees. Sufficient literature has already been published about the burnout problem that we have been dealing with in recent years. Working conditions; such as the work environment, working hours, work-life balance and ergonomic aspects are the biggest challenge here.

Making happiness at work measurable

Happiness at work is not a 'fluffy' term, but is a concept that can be measured. An employee who is heard at work is 4.6 times more likely to perform at their best. So why not get started with this topic?

At Happy Humans, we use the right tool to make work happiness measurable in your organization. After analysis, we provide the necessary feedback that we can use to work together to increase happiness at work in your organization!

Happiness at work starts with you, as the leader of an organization. One of the most important qualities of a good leader is listening to what is happening in the workplace. The ABC offers you a guide to this and Happy Humans is eager to help you with this.