It's Science! Happy People are More Productive Workers
Photo by: @BrookeCagle
Laughter is contagious— and the best medicine, some say. We hear these expressions all the time, and when we’re buckled over laughing, it’s not so hard to understand the sentiments behind them. But just how true could they be?
Understanding the science behind happiness could be the key to a long, prosperous life. Putting the science in motion could propel your business closer to its next milestone.
Why is it so important that we prioritize happiness in our homes, our workplaces, our schools, and in our everyday lives? This infographic shared by SnackNation puts the value of workplace happiness into some serious perspective:
We can first juxtapose this information with a quote by Socrates. Sometime around 450 BC, he said, “the secret of happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less.”
Happiness, by this philosophy, should be easy to obtain. But if it’s the case that happiness lies in simple pleasantries, why are this many American workers unhappy?
Consider a few of the infographic’s more compelling statistics:
A) Happy Sales People Produce 37% Greater Sales
B) Companies with Happy Employees Outperform the Competition By 20%
C) Happy Employees are 12% More Productive
Then think about this:
D) 36% of employees would give up $5,000 a year in salary to be more happy at work.
We at S Grace Facilities aren’t philosophers, per say; but it would be reasonably logical to conclude that employees would, as a whole, pay to do their jobs better in exchange for more happiness. Sounds like a pretty good deal.
Before it’s a deal we can close, we should understand the chemistry of how happiness works. That way, we’ll know what triggers it, and by turn, we’ll know how to create it for our employees.
When a stimulus makes us happy, our brains release two neurotransmitters: dopamine and serotonin. While dopamine is the “feel-good chemical” responsible for pleasure; serotonin is what scientists refer to as, “the happiness chemical.” In our quest to make workplaces happier, these neurotransmitters are ultimately what we’re after.
Columbia University’s Earth Institute released its World Happiness Report on March 20, 2020, which, “ranks cities around the world by their subjective well-being and digs more deeply into how the social, urban, and natural environments combine to affect our happiness.” The report combines cutting-edge research that measures Happiness by a multitude of factors from environmental to interpersonal.
The 202-page World Happiness Report includes these findings:
Low-quality jobs yield more happiness than unemployment, which is encouraging news— deep down, your employees are probably just glad to be working.
Income security, in case of unemployment, plays a strong role in determining life satisfaction.
In the U.S., levels of trust have fallen dramatically, whereas increases in inequality have produced reductions in happiness.
Mental health is the biggest contributing factor to happiness in all countries.
No surprise here; the presence of nature, fresh air, sunshine, clear skies, and pleasant smells are all associated with increased happiness. People are consistently willing to pay for observably cleaner air.
The cost of hardship on a person’s wellbeing is reduced significantly where there is a positive and supportive social environment— a helping hand, a smiling face, a trusted friend.
We’re often told that one of the best parts of our disinfection services is the positive effect our employees have on our clients and their own employees. Take our S Grace Facilities employee, Gio, for example:
Like so many of our employees, we hired Gio for his intelligence, his skill, and the unique talents he brings. See what we mean? Gio’s happiness rubs off on everyone in the room, and our clients take notice too. We invest in happiness and opportunities for our employees, and the results sparkle in the quality of their work.
According to a 2004 report by the University of Chicago, lower happiness is systematically associated with lower productivity.
Later, a report published by Cambridge University Press in February of 2015 found that negative mood influenced team processes, and as a consequence, team performance.
If you clicked on this article because you’re an employer and productivity is low in the workplace you manage, then stay tuned because you’re headed in the right direction.
Although you cannot compensate for some of the more personal factors that reduce happiness in your individual employees; you can, as their employer, strategize ways to improve their happiness and boost their productivity. Here are ten strategies that yield positive results for S Grace Facilities and our employees:
High Job satisfaction is associated with job security and opportunities for employees to nurture their skills and abilities. If you don’t give your employees room to grow, you’ll never know what they’re capable of.
We are social creatures. Where possible, let coworkers collaborate, laugh, encourage, and support one another. Remember, close work friendships boost employee satisfaction by 50%.
Foster an environment of trust with group icebreakers and exercises. Surround employees with shared culture and traditions.
Encourage diversity and provide equal opportunities and diversity training, and only permit actions and behaviors that contribute to a positive, fair, and supportive environment for all people.
Give your employees the health and wellness benefits they deserve. Accommodate for the physical and mental health of your employees. Executives and employees alike will reap the benefits.
In offices where there are no gyms, offer paid-for gym memberships. Invest in wellbeing. Reopen existing, office-place gyms with updated cleaning and disinfection regimens, social distancing, and fun yet informative signage. The CDC’s Print Communications page is a terrific place to start. We also offer social distancing signage on the S Grace Facilities online shop.
Take a lesson from other successful commercial powerhouses, like yourself. Invest in the longterm, financial security of your employees with equal opportunity crisis funds, Fidelity mutual shares, college scholarships, and more. Ask your employees what they want their job title to be. See if you can make it happen.
Give people the gift of time. That’s more breaks, more flexible schedules, more opportunities to work remotely, more vacation, more maternity leave, and more of your trust.
And while they’re on break, it’s up to you to brew some coffee and set the snack cart rolling. Turn a new page with reasonable employee perks, positive reinforcement, frequent casual dress days, and rewards for productivity.
Open the windows and let the sun in. Poor air quality has a negative effect on people, and directly impacts surfaces in the vicinity. Achieve improved air quality and ventilation by partnering with a commercial cleaning service like S Grace Facilities.
There’s a whole lot more happy where that came from.
Find more guidance by the CDC and EPA for reopening businesses on our blog.
Order PPE kits prepared with love by S Grace Facilities on our shop.
Check out this video of our talented employee, Gio, whose groove is the happy we’re talking about.