Friday, March 3, marks Employee Appreciation Day in the U.K. There are clear links between employee appreciation and its impact on employee engagement and productivity. A poll by Tjinsite, a division of TimeJobs.com, found that more than 35% of the employees consider lack of recognition of work as the biggest hindrance to their productivity. According to them, rewards and recognition for achievements at workplace act as morale booster, which in turn increase their productivity.
A study reported by Harvard Medical School and conducted by researchers at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania divided University fund-raisers into two groups. One group made phone calls to solicit alumni donations in the same way they always had. The second group assigned to work on a different day received a pep talk from the director of annual giving, who told the fund-raisers she was grateful for their efforts. During the following week, the university employees who heard her message of gratitude made 50% more fund-raising calls than those who did not.
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A recent survey by Robert Half entitled "It’s time we all work happy: The secrets of the happiest companies and employees" reveals the drivers behind employee happiness and how businesses can nurture a positive work culture. The importance of being happy at work was recognized by the majority of the workforce. When asked about who is primarily responsible for their happiness, most respondents (79%) saw it as an equal balance between employee and employer. The research reveals there are several factors that drive happiness. Respondents named pride (51%), fairness and respect (51%) and feeling appreciated (50%) as the ingredients they associate most with happiness.
Geoff Pearce, managing consultant, reward at NGA Human Resources argued that despite its abstract nature, employee satisfaction can have a substantial impact on business productivity and companies are starting to take note. “Nurturing a positive company culture, offering tailored benefits packages and generous salary arrangements should all rank highly on the list of priorities for companies that take an active interest in making their employees feel valued and appreciated. Businesses aware of the direct correlation between workplace satisfaction and business productivity should act accordingly if they want to boost their output and gain a competitive edge.”
Education and training also emerged as two important pillars for workplace happiness, according to the Robert Half study. For the clear majority, work isn’t just about pay, with over a third willing to accept a lower salary to secure their ideal job. The research also shows that those in more skilled roles tend to be happier and more interested in work. For example, managers in the U.K. reported higher levels of happiness and interest than those in clerical, administrative or secretarial positions. There is also a general pattern where younger workers aged 18-34 feel they have more opportunities for learning (62%) and constructive feedback (53%), which makes them happier. While, senior staff in executive positions feel like they are using their strengths more (90%), that their skills are closely matched to their jobs (88%) and that they have greater influence (84%) and freedom (84%), which contributes to their happiness.
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Happiness isn’t about feeling cheerful every day or avoiding challenges, remarked Nic Marks, chief executive of Happiness Works. “Work can be difficult and demanding, but if employees are given the opportunity to progress, grow their skill sets and get the training they need, then they tend to be happy and do better work as a result.”
Many employees highlighted that the people they work and interact with daily contribute to how happy they are at work. Overall, four in five U.K. employees believe they have good relationships with people on their immediate team and over a third (38%) highlighted inter-team relationships as an important driver for happiness and interest at work. In addition, those who have regular meetings score higher on happiness and interest. In comparison, those 10% who never meet their team have the lowest level of happiness and interest, highlighting that a basic level of inter-team relationships is important to keep employees engaged.
