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Writer's pictureMichele Evanson

Are Your Employees Happy?

Following a decade of emotional research and inquiry into what made people happy, the value happy workers bring to work has lately gathered attention in the company press. The proof that's emerging is compelling. Happiness isn't just a wise idea, it’s extremely good business. When unhappy workers outnumber happy employees by two to one in accordance with the most recent Gallup global office report, is it time your organization took pleasure at work badly? The advantage of pleasure - Shawn Anchor, writer of The Happiness Advantage, makes a persuasive case that the best advantage in today's economics is a happy and engaged work force. Happiness is a necessity for success, not merely a happy byproduct. Tangible outcomes - Happier individuals are more productive. Researches show that wellbeing has a more profound effect on work performance than job satisfaction. People who're obviously happy score higher on handling effectiveness jobs. When individuals are in a good mood they have a propensity to fix problems faster, more collaboratively and creatively. Happy leaders get higher ratings from clients and are more inclined to have happier and far healthy employees. Businesses with high employee well-being report greater client loyalty, productivity and profitability. Gallup studies over decades associate these results to employee participation - peoples day-to day engagement and enthusiasm for work. They found company units from the top quartile on employee participation averaged $80,000 to $120,000 higher sales revenue per month. Consider how much a very modest 1% increase in productivity can benefit your business? Happier individuals are far healthy people. Individuals that score highest on psychological tests grow about 50% more antibody to the influenza vaccine than less happy people, a surprising difference echoed by increased immunity after 8-week wellbeing interventions. Other research has found that pleasure or positive mental states like hopefulness, optimism and satisfaction seem to reduce risk or restrict severity of coronary disease, pulmonary disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and upper respiratory infections. How much difference will a decrease in illness absence by only 1 day per employee annually make to your bottom line? Happier employees do not leave as often. Happy, satisfied employees are less inclined to demonstrate job withdrawal during turnover, burnout and reprisals against the organization. When things are going well plus they feel optimistic, they could unwind and expand their resources and relationships, take an opportunity to try out new strategies and skills, set new goals and prepare for the challenges ahead. This is the science behind Barbara Fredricksons Broaden and Build Theory. She's found that positive emotions reset negative emotions, creating an upward spiral which counters downward spirals of negativity. This positive energy spreads through organizations to allow cooperation during organizational transformation and growth. Add to this the strong impact of emotional contagion within groups both negative and positive and you'll see how significant positive emotions could be for the climate of an organization and the well-being of the company. It's significant to realize that as positive emotions increase our happiness and increase our thinking, negative emotions have significant benefits as well.

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