International Week of Happiness at Work

According to the Wrike Happiness Index survey, 54% of UK respondents have taken a pay cut at some point in their career in order to accept a job that made them happier.

2020 has no doubt been a challenging year for organisations across the globe. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused disruptions and created obstacles for businesses across all sectors and without question, impacted employee wellbeing.

As we slowly approach the ‘new normal’ with organisations across the UK and Ireland opening their doors again - albeit virtually in some cases - a question on many employers minds has been left unanswered...

Are my employees happy?

According to findings from McKinsey & Company, the COVID-19 pandemic has been 3.5 times more costly to happiness in Europe than the continent’s GDP losses.

With this in mind, the 21st September marks the welcome return of the International Week of Happiness at Work 2020 - the annual wellbeing campaign that encourages employers to focus their attention on the happiness of their team members.

Whether your employees are starting to return to work, remain furloughed or have been working throughout the pandemic, the wellbeing event is the perfect opportunity for you to review your workplace wellbeing strategies and consider your teams’ happiness and morale.

Benefits of happy employees

Not to mention the benefits that happy employees bring to an organisation’s workplace culture and reputation, businesses who invest in their people’s happiness have experienced...

• Improved productivity: Analysis from Harvard Business Review found that happy employees are on average 31% more productive than those who are unhappy and are three times more creative.
• Reduced absenteeism: Findings from Gallup report that organisations who make employee engagement central to their wellbeing strategy experience a 41% reduction in absenteeism and 59% less turnover.
• Positive workplace culture: Happy employees are more committed, engaged and are willing to support each other, thus created a unified team.
• A confident workforce: Happier employees tend to be more confident about their work, offer creative solutions and are more willing to take on risks, as well as more responsibility.

Boosting employee happiness at work:

• Happy at Work Manifesto: Demonstrate your commitment to your employees’ happiness by signing the Happy at Work Manifesto. Share the news internally and on your social channels.
• Think outside the box: Relaxing the rules occasionally can do wonders for staff morale. This can include letting your team go home early on a Friday or by hosting a virtual party for remote workers. You could even allow your team members to bring their children and pets into work on selected days to give their happiness a boost.
• Work-life balance: Due to the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, some employees may feel the internal pressure to work harder than ever before and, in some cases, prioritise work before their health. As a result, their work-life balance will be uneven, putting them at risk of experiencing burnout.

Encourage your team members to leave work at the door and enjoy a healthy balance of work and personal time. In return, you’ll see a happier, more engaged and loyal workforce. In fact, research by the Corporate Executive Board found that employees with a healthy work-life balance work 21% harder!

If you would like to find out more information on any of the topics mentioned in this article, please contact Health Assured on:

UK: 0844 892 2493

ROI: 01 886 0324