Does It Matter If Your Employees Are Happy?

November 29, 2011

Multiple studies have documented that a culture of happiness matters, and we see the proof with the success of companies such as Zappos and Google. Top organizations are recognizing that happiness among employees predicts beneficial behavior, even beyond a person’s job description. Compared to their less happy counterparts, happy employees:

• Are more willing to help out coworkers and customers
• Describe their jobs in a more positive light
• Perform better on more objective, work-related tasks
• Tackle a wider range of job tasks
• Defend their organizations from attack
• Receive better ratings from supervisors and peers
• Enjoy higher income levels
• Get more social support from both colleagues and supervisors
• Cope better with organizational change
• Exhibit a greater degree of cooperation
• Make decisions more efficiently
• Experience less conflict working in teams
• Feel more commitment to their employer
• Report greater job satisfaction.

Even without the data, the obvious answer is yes, employee happiness matters. Yet few organizations give it much thought beyond competitive pay and benefit packages. It’s a lost opportunity. To learn more about how your organization and wellness program can influence this important factor, read the Health Enhancement Systems white paper, Creating a Culture of Happiness: The Link Between Happy Employees and a Thriving Organization.