Are Your Employees Happy? Here’s Some Key Things to Look Out For…

Worried that your people don’t seem as happy as they could be? The UK places 12th in the world in terms of employee satisfaction, with 74% of employees feeling very satisfied. But with one in three staff saying they are unhappy in the workplace, there is still a way to go for overall satisfaction.

There are many ways HR can combat a poor organisational culture, but not everyone knows how to take the best course of action. It’s time to ditch the ‘working for the weekend’ mentality and start looking for the joys in the job.

Spot the warning signs

Let’s be honest: It has not been easy over the last few years. The changing landscape of the workplace during the pandemic has left a lot of people feeling lost at sea without a paddle, and adjusting from working from home can cause friction, especially if employees joined an organisation during this turbulent time. Stress can cause ‘burnout’: a culmination of workplace stress that has not been managed correctly. If you are finding staff retention is low, there may be underlying issues of burnout amongst your own employees.

There are the more obvious signs too. Staff members turning up late, or a drop in productivity can show a decline in the work environment; while more subtle indications of unhappiness include not engaging in office culture, or increasing conflict with colleagues. Once you spot these signs, it’s time to get that flow of communication up and running again, and start to work on making your organisation as stress-free as possible.

Talk it out

Open and clear communication is vital in a happy workplace. It may seem simple, but maintaining a strong dialogue with employees will help keep motivation and morale high. Consider opening up weekly or monthly wellbeing check-ins with your employees, and create a safe space for them to drop in and access a clear and direct line of communication.

Online surveys are also a great way to gather data on how your organisation is feeling about their environment and work, especially if you have a large business with a lot of employees. Sites like Survey Monkey or Google Forms are an easy, anonymous way to assess the climate of the workplace. You can take this data and produce it as a report for your management team to really get to the core issues needing to be addressed. Handing this power over to employees is a great way to show that their voices are being heard and respected, and the data is a real advantage to an organisation; it identifies those core areas and factors that are important to employees but also things they find unsatisfying. You may be surprised to find what the catalyst can be for issues in your organisation.

Advocate appreciation!

My Staff Shop offers a wide array of ways to increase employee satisfaction. We can help show appreciation in a way that is actually beneficial to your employees, like being able to buy gift cards or trips with the Rewards Beans they’ve earnt.

Fanmail not only allows managers the option to award hard work, but employees’ can provide peer-to-peer recognition too. It helps to encourage the camaraderie and teamwork that will get them through the tougher days, and create a more cohesive unit.

You can also help reignite passions your employees have, with access to courses in skills from learning a foreign language, to career development and design. Not only are you helping to grow your employees’ opportunities, but these skills could improve your business, and help employees excel in new areas of your organisation.

Don’t discount the discount

With the cost of living crisis harming labour productivity, discounts on supermarket shopping can really help ease the anxiety employees are having. Covering the basic needs of life like the food shop can create a foundation in which your employees can start to relieve their stress, and the discounts on day-to-day life essentials add up, and help make things feel a little easier.

In-the-moment support

My Staff Shop also offers an Employee Assistance Programme for your team to access whenever they may need it. Whether it be for peace of mind, or crucial care, an EAP is a great way to show that your organisation has its employees at its heart.

Yes, it’s hard right now. And employees should find HR a safe space to talk about their unhappiness and anxieties. Talking things through openly and honestly is the best way to build trust with employees, and encourage a stronger business that values each individual. Offering benefits on top of this, will further advance your company into a place which your employees feel heard, seen, and most importantly appreciated. Happy days!