Thu. Mar 28th, 2024

Regardless of which industry you are working in, your employees are the rarest and inimitable assets. Finding the best candidate in your applicant pool and offering them a high package isn’t enough. You need to do more to make them stay with you.

For this purpose, keeping them happy and satisfied at work is extremely important. Not only will it benefit them, but it will yield favorable outcomes for you too.

Does it really matter for organizations?

It is now scientifically proven that workers who report high job satisfaction are more creative and achieve high productivity. Despite this, only 29% of employees are satisfied with their existing careers (according to the latest Employee Job Satisfaction and Engagement survey).

This is important for you to understand how the whole employee satisfaction thing works. How enjoying your work improves productivity levels.

Six Ways Satisfied Employees Enhance Overall Organizational Productivity

Here are some reasons why happiness at the workplace sets the environment for higher productivity.

1.    Employee satisfaction improves work engagement

According to the Senior Manager from Academic Writing Services UK,

“Happy and contented employees perform better because they are engaged. They pay more attention to their work and give their best each day. They are enthusiastic, ready to take risks, and don’t back off. By definition, work engagement is the positive state combined with high levels of energy and dedication for a strong work focus.”

Role of leadership explained

Good leaders are a key component of a highly successful organization. Did you know only 42% of American employees know the vision, mission, and core values of their organization?

This is alarmingly low. The reason is ‘Egoistic leadership’. Too many executives don’t like communicating with low-level employees.

Take some inspiration from the CEO of Chinese smartphone company Xiaomi, Lei Jun (standing in the middle). He is also known as the Steve Jobs of China and sets an innovative tone for his company.

https://images3.programmersought.com/620/42/422894e25cd9a5e3f53a0fd9065bdb44.JPEG

This man knows exactly the number of old employees in his company. He regularly communicates with the employees and even hangs out with the founding employees.

In an interview, he said, ‘Xiaomi’s old staff is the most valuable. We fight, cry, and laugh together! I hope that this team will grow stronger and stronger.

In a short span of just ten years, Lei Jun has created an engaged workforce that takes the company to new heights.

2.    Improved teamwork and collaboration

Every manager wants to build a great team. Teamwork provides the foundation for creativity, builds trust, and blends complementary strengths.

When employees are satisfied and involved in their work, they work better in teams. There will be fewer conflicts and disagreements that can hamper team progress. They are willing to listen to the ideas and suggestions of other team members without getting offended.

3.    Happy employees create happy customers

It wouldn’t be wrong to say that your organization is only as good as its people.

See what James Sinegal, former CEO of Costco, has to say about this:

Your people are a driving force behind customer satisfaction. But if they have a tough conversation with their manager, you can lose some business. Here’s how:

  • Customer service is all about actively listening to customer needs and recommending them the right product/service. If an employee is happy and attentive, he can assist the customer in a pleasant way.
  • When your customers feel that your employees are concerned about their pain, they’ll likely buy from you.
  • Your word-of-mouth sales will increase as your satisfied customers will share their experience with others around them, on social media pages etc.
  • They know how to build good relationships with clients and often take follow-ups.

4.    Satisfied employees don’t leave

Satisfied employees = retained employees.

A study by Gallup shows that 51% of workers are seeking out new employment opportunities. This is quite obvious that they aren’t happy with their existing jobs. The reason could be the rude manager or the stressful working environment.

Three things happen when an employee leaves.

  • The morale of the current workers drops.
  • Your brand reputation declined.
  • You can lose a customer just because he/she is no longer at the company.

Satisfied employees can help you save time, money, and effort.

Less recruitment and training

When people are satisfied, you’ll experience a low turnover rate which is quite expensive. You post job ads, seek out replacements, interview job candidates, and train and teach them.

It costs almost 50% of an annual salary to replace a junior-level employee, while the cost is 400% to fill a senior position (HR Daily Advisor). When you focus on retention, you save time a lot of time, energy, and resources that can be utilized on other core activities.

5.    They have better mental and physical health

A happy and contented workforce is more likely to be healthy and cheaper to maintain. They also perform better because they take fewer sick leaves and are off due to health issues.

On the flip side, dissatisfied employees are prone to health problems. They get sick easily and can develop anxiety and depression. Nearly 80% of employees reported feeling stressed and said they needed assistance in managing their condition (The American Institute of Stress).

Research also proved that prolonged stress, if not treated, can create major health issues, including heart disease, depression, and obesity. High absenteeism also leads to productivity loss.

6.    Employee satisfaction is the basis of employee loyalty

This is something natural.

When people feel that they can trust their organization and that leaders have their best interests at heart, they start supporting the mission of the organization. They develop an unbreakable bond with their organization that only grows with time.

Why is loyalty important?

It is loyalty that pushes people to give their best shot and stay with the employer when there’s a crisis.

How To Uplift Employee Satisfaction?

Here are some ways that can help you boost employee satisfaction levels:

●      Work on the culture

If you want your employees to become satisfied, you need to nurture an environment where they feel safe and secure. 

Even if you check for facts on the internet, you’ll find supporting evidence about the impact of culture on employee productivity and performance.

●      Establish trust with the top management

Honestly is indeed the best policy. Encourage employees to speak up, share their ideas and concerns, and ask for help if they need it. If you’re going to implement a change soon (i.e. change in structure, policy, or new technology), involve them in the planning process.

Don’t hesitate to accept mistakes or give full credit to the team members. 

●      Provide a sense of job security

Treat your employees like companions instead of numbers. Offer them personalized benefits according to their need. Create a survey and know what they want; job flexibility or paid leaves.

●      Workplace Appreciation

Well-recognized employees are more determined and motivated. As reported by experts in their research article, 76% of employees leave and switch jobs because they don’t feel valued at work.

Notice their daily contributions and give them a shout-out during the lunch break or during the meeting. Don’t wait for the annual meeting.

●      Training and Mentoring Programs

Investing in your employees is one of the most effective ways to make them feel cherished. It’s your way of saying that ‘we want you to grow and improve’.

Offer them an online graphic designing course or plan workshops according to their needs. Make sure the training is aligned with their job requirements. Employees who get learning opportunities tend to feel more confident in their job.

While Summing Up

All in all, every organization wants a satisfied employee who can go the extra mile and achieve the goals. I hope that by now, you know that satisfied employees work better. So, start working on making them feel special and satisfied.

Author Bio

Stella Lincoln is an enthusiastic Sr. Research Analyst & Marketing Manager at Crowd Writer. Her strength lies in creating practical guides for managers that empower them and enhance employee engagement. She is the right person for genuine life advice.