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Recent research suggests getting richer doesn’t make us happier. And in my experience it is the unhappy employees who are most likely to ask for a pay rise. Here are some thoughts to make your workforce happier without paying employees any more!!

Provide rewarding work

  • Seeing others benefit from their contribution makes for happiness in employees.
  • Take workers to the end of the production line so they can relate their work to the end product.
  • In caring professions give employees access to those who have benefitted from their care

What could you do in your business?

Personal growth – seeing their own life skills improving

  • The late Peter Drucker saw the management role as essentially one of developing others.
  • Just as in sport there is a great boost from achieving something you thought you couldn’t.
  • Sometimes we need the opportunity, sometimes just a “prod” or someone with faith in us

Professional growth – seeing the opportunity to take on increasingly rewarding work

  • Improving one’s work skills, knowledge and experience is all motivating.
  • Training, allowing the opportunity to make mistakes, can provide professional growth.
  • Presidents live longer than vice-presidents. Gaining control of your destiny improves happiness.

Express appreciation – be sure employees feel their contributions are appreciated

  • “Catch employees doing something right” is a great start.
  • Expressing appreciation is easy to overlook but we all work better when we are appreciated.

We should be grateful for what employees do for us.

Malcolm Martin FCIPD

Author Human Resource Practice