Employees are the most valuable resource of your company. They’re the ones who get the work done, and they also come up with new ideas for what needs to be done. When you have happy employees, it’s easier to foster innovation in your workplace because they will feel comfortable coming up with new ideas and suggestions.
Do you know if your employees are happy? It’s hard to tell sometimes, and it can be difficult for managers to gauge the mood of their team. To help determine the employee happiness levels at work, here are 10 signs that indicate a happy employee:
1. Smiling Faces
Happy employees usually have a smile on their faces. Ideally, you want to see the corners of their mouth turned up and not just one side or half-smiling.
What makes up a happy smile? A genuine smile is very different from an artificial one because it will last for about five seconds after being elicited as well as show teeth instead of pulling in cheek muscles like when people try to fake smiles.
People instinctively know that happiness takes many forms but they can tell if someone isn’t genuinely happy by looking at what’s going on with their facial expressions and body language.
2. Attitude About Work
It’s also important to look at how an employee feels about what they do during the day.
Do they seem excited when talking about it? Do they go into detail about how much they enjoy what they are doing? If so, then chances are this person is happy with where they work every day.
Employees with a positive attitude about their work are the best kind to have because they are more likely to do a good job and be happy with what they produce. A happy worker stands out from an audience with a high energy level and enthusiasm. He or she has co-worker envy!
3. Enjoys Being Around People
If an employee is happy, they will want to spend time at work among other friendly coworkers. An unhappy person might just come in for the paycheck so this one is not as reliable of a sign but when it comes down to it, happy employees like spending time with others.
This doesn’t mean that all introverts can’t enjoy themselves – some just prefer working on projects by themselves while still enjoying company from time to time. It could also depend on how much interaction there is within any given day, especially for someone who works remotely.
4. Arrive Early at Work
Employees who are happy at work typically have an earlier start time than those who aren’t. This could be because they’re excited for their day or want to get it over with, but either way, the key is that a lot of people start early if they are happy.
It’s also been shown in studies that happy employees achieve better results and take fewer sick days – making them more productive overall.
5. Job Performance
Happy employees often have better job performance. This is because they’re content with their work and happy in general, which makes them feel good about what they do on a daily basis.
It has also been shown to be less of a chance that happy employees will quit when it comes time for them to look into other positions elsewhere— meaning there are fewer gaps in the workforce.
6. Experience Less Stress
People who are happy at work typically experience less stress than those who aren’t. They don’t dread going into the office or feeling like everything is too much during high-pressure times. Instead, these people enjoy stepping up during challenging situations as opposed to backing down from them.
7. Professional Development
Happy employees are always looking for ways to improve themselves, whether it’s learning a new skill or taking on more responsibilities. They will invest in their own career by setting goals and figuring out the best ways to reach them.
This is important for employers to recognize as it can lead to increased productivity and higher company morale.
8. Improved Mental Health
There have been studies done that show happy employees are physically healthier than unhappy ones. They experience less tension, stress, and anger when in the workplace. And while it may be harder to measure employee happiness, there has also been shown to be a link between employee happiness at work and improved mental health, which has positive effects outside of the office too.
9. More Engaged in Their Work
Happy employees are often more engaged at their job than unhappy ones. When people enjoy what they’re doing, they want to be productive and do a good job which creates better results for themselves as individuals as well as the company.
They also will feel less stressed about coming to work because it is something that means something to them. It’s not just another day of sitting there behind a desk or computer screen while staying cooped up inside during all hours waiting for Friday night when it can finally end again.
10. Happy Employees Look for Mentorship
The happy employee knows that it is a good thing to have someone experienced and knowledgeable to turn to when in need of help. They are more likely than their unhappy counterparts not only because they’re happier, but also due to the fact they want an environment that fosters growth/learning opportunities for them personally as well as others around them.
But as an employer, there are measures you can take to increase employee engagement and happiness. One of them is offering different rewards to the most productive employees. For instance, you can reward with swag.
A Happy Employee Equals a Happy Workplace
The key here is that happiness can be contagious; so, hire one happy employee into your team today. It doesn’t matter whether you need a new accountant or janitor — as long as they’re happy with whatever tasks they’ll be undertaking, your organization will succeed.
It is important for managers and CEOs alike to know these indicators in order to create an effective plan for making employees feel valued and appreciated at work.
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