5 Tips: How to Keep Your Employees Happy and Satisfied

A happy employee is a good employee-every HR manager knows that. But how do you ensure your employees continue to enjoy their work? We’re sharing 5 helpful tips on workplace happiness during this Workplace Happiness Week. If you want a healthy and successful organization, you’d be wise to invest in your staff. After all, your people ultimately determine what you’re able to accomplish. And various studies show that happy, satisfied employees perform better. For example, researchers at the University of Warwick discovered a strong link between happiness and productivity in the workplace. Moreover, happy and motivated people take fewer sick days, cope better with stress, and stay with the same employer longer, as Professor Martijn Burger recently emphasized in the NRC newspaper . So it’s no surprise that more and more companies are actively working to increase their employees’ job satisfaction. As an employer, you obviously can’t completely control whether people are happy. But you can do a lot to contribute to your employees’ job satisfaction. These five tips will help you get off to a good start.  

Tip 1: Establish a clear vision

Employees spend a significant portion of their time at work. They therefore want to feel that the effort they put into their work is meaningful. Why does your organization do what it does? What goal are you pursuing? And what is the purpose of it all? As an employer, it’s important that you can provide clear answers to these questions. So formulate a clear vision-and, very importantly, communicate it. A shared goal motivates employees and establishes clear guidelines and expectations. Moreover, with such a narrative, you’ll attract employees who believe in you. Note: Your vision must align with reality-otherwise, you’ll lose your credibility. For example, if you’re a healthcare organization that says the client comes first, structure your operations so that employees don’t spend an unnecessary amount of time on administrative tasks and other peripheral matters.  

Tip 2: Actively Work on Your Company Culture

Colleagues and the atmosphere within a company are key determinants of employees’ job satisfaction. “Vitamin A,” is what wellness expert Hidde de Vries calls it in an interview with NRC. “People are social creatures. We need each other for our self-confidence, to feel good, and to produce the right brain chemicals,” he tells the newspaper. So think about the atmosphere you want to create, and tailor your policies accordingly. For example, when employees are given more freedom and autonomy to do their work the way they want, they experience greater job satisfaction. That can be a reason to be flexible with work hours and remote work. Also, plan regular team outings and other group activities to strengthen the bonds between colleagues. In addition, keep an eye on the workload. A consistently high workload is detrimental to job satisfaction. Take breaks seriously and send people who are working overtime home a little early. That said, too little work is also not good-it can lead to bore-out.  

Tip 3: Choose Your Managers Carefully

Various studies show that managers play a crucial role in workplace happiness. For example, the 2021 National Workplace Happiness Survey-a survey of 1,500 working Dutch people-revealed that managers can make or break employees’ workplace happiness. The authors of the Handbook on Job Satisfaction (2020) also conclude that managers play a decisive role. They must ensure that employees have enough autonomy, that the workload isn’t too high, that the atmosphere in the workplace is positive, and that the work remains challenging. It is therefore very important that your organization has capable managers and team leaders who are able to guide and coach their people. Managers with a directive or controlling style lead to lower job satisfaction among your staff. The same goes for managers who lead in a directive manner or are primarily focused on the process. Do you notice that your managers could use a little help? Training can help them further develop their leadership skills.  

Tip 4: Make sure employees feel appreciated

Appreciation is a major driver of happiness in the workplace. So let people know that you value them. Managers play a key role here as well. It’s important for them to give compliments regularly and to make room for everyone’s opinions and insights. There are many ways to show appreciation, by the way. For example, make sure employees don’t have to ask for a raise themselves-instead, take the initiative and offer one in a timely manner. Is someone home due to personal circumstances? Have some flowers delivered. And has an employee been working exceptionally hard lately? Surprise them with a personal thank-you card and a treat-such as brownies or cupcakes sent by mail. Generously filled holiday gift baskets (with a personal message from immediate supervisors) or a year-end bonus are also ways to show your appreciation. The same goes for good employee benefits: at some companies, for example, employees can claim reimbursement for their gym membership or haircuts. Or consider providing a nice lunch at the office. A daily shared moment like that immediately boosts the atmosphere!  

Tip 5: Make assessments part of your hiring process

In fact, job satisfaction begins even before someone starts working. Because if there’s no good fit between you and your new employee, nobody will be happy. People perform better when they’re in the right role. That’s why you can incorporate assessments into the hiring process. Nowadays, we’re doing this more and more online-and with great success! By having candidates take an assessment, you gain an objective picture of their personality and qualities. With that information, you can better assess whether someone is a good fit for your organization. Ultimately, this leads to people enjoying their work more. Moreover, the results of assessments help candidates get to know themselves better. They can use the test results to further their professional development. And that, in turn, contributes to their job satisfaction.  

Getting Started with Digital Assessments

Digital assessments can be administered at various locations throughout the Netherlands. Candidates receive a warm welcome and personalized attention, ensuring they feel completely at ease. Curious about the possibilities? Check out the websites of Lamark or hrmforce and book an assessment right away.