How important is a happy employee? Well, it’s at least important enough to warrant quite a bit of research. Study after study has been conducted to understand employee happiness. One of those studies done in Britain found that happy employees are up to 13 percent more productive.

“We found that when workers are happier, they work faster by making more calls per hour worked and, importantly, convert more calls to sales,” is what Professor De Neve of Oxford University said in a press release about the study.

Another study found that the happiness increase that leads to a productivity increase can also produce up to a 37 percent sales increase and a 19 percent increase in accuracy. For any business, the investment in employee happiness makes sense based on those numbers.

It also makes sense that, knowing that work is where people spend most of their time, we may as well make it a happy experience if we can. It begs the question: how do you have happy employees? Let’s take a look at 10 tips to create a happy work-space.

1. Use your words. Creating a work culture that consistently uses words and acts of praise, recognition and appreciation is an excellent way to create a happy work-space. This can include systems that ensure those words of praise are given daily, at specific meetings and then even with award and recognition programs.

“When we are recognized for a job well done and in view of our peers, our job satisfaction and engagement levels are significantly increased. Once honored, we tend to be even more industrious. Genuine praise is a powerful motivator,” said Alan Hall, author and founder of Grow America.

2. Make it meaningful. Studies show that employees who know the purpose for their job and have connected the big picture to the little, daily tasks are happier. One study found that 90 percent of employees want to work for a purpose-driven company and 40 percent of them are happier, more motivated and achieve more when they know they are working for a purpose. Be sure to talk about the mission and why it matters often and then connect it individually to employees and how they are impacting that mission with their work.

3. Encourage work-life balance. Work is important, but an employee who has a happy life while not at work is much more likely to be happy while at work. Create a work-culture that prioritizes off time where employees can be disengaged from work and truly focus on their family and personal priorities. This also means not encouraging staying late or working at home when off the clock. Hiring a productivity coach can help employees get more done at work so the inclination to stay late or work overtime is lessened.

4. Promote health & wellbeing. Healthy employees are more likely to be happy employees. Sleep, exercise and healthy eating can also become part of the work culture by incorporating healthy-themed lunches, step challenges and other wellness-related company activities.

5. Improve the environment. Clutter increases stress. Fluorescent lighting is harsh. There are many small, simple improvements you can make in the office space in order to increase happiness. A tidy, clutter-free space is a great first step because clutter increases stress lowers productivity and lowers morale. You can also consider the decor, plants and natural lighting as ways to make the space more aesthetically pleasing and in turn make employees happier.

“ Happiness is contagious so commit to smiling a lot, expressing gratitude and laughing often to create a positive environment. ”

6. Invest in employee growth. Many businesses offer benefits, but few invest in their employees and their personal development. Employees that are growing, learning and feeling like they are succeeding are happy employees. One way to facilitate this growth is to hold 1-on-1 sessions with employees to discuss their goals personally and professionally and help them develop action plans to reach those goals. Other ways to help employees in this area are to offer education benefits, host an on-site book club or hire a productivity coach. You can also host a creativity workshop where employees can do something fun and creative. Creative Master Peaces offers painting, macrame, succulent arrangement and vision board classes for employees.

7. Build confidence & trust. Challenging employees with important assignments helps them to feel valued and it builds confidence. When those assignments are allowed to be successfully completed without micromanaging, trust is created as well. Communicating openly and honestly about the business is another great way to build confidence and trust. Ensuring there is a system for feedback and dialogue that easily goes up and down the chain is also a great way to build trust.

8. Do some fun things. It’s not surprising that people having fun are happier. Consider ways to incorporate fun in the day to day, in meetings as well as in off-site team-building activities. Happy hours are also popular ways to have fun for businesses as well as volunteering together as a team.

9. Create a positive vibe. If you’re already praising and recognizing employees, that’s a great start. Infusing a problem-solving mentality into the work culture can also foster happiness by helping people focus on solutions, action and staying positive. Employees who see problems as opportunities are more optimistic and happier. Happiness is contagious so commit to smiling a lot, expressing gratitude and laughing often as these actions also contribute to a positive environment.

10. Ask them. Employee happiness surveys are popular for good reason: they take the guesswork out of creating a happy workspace. In addition to a company-wide survey, there is also the option to survey employees individually during 1-on-1 meetings. Asking employees specifically is a great idea since every work culture and company is different. Some companies might already be doing some of these tips really well while others are failing in the very same areas. By asking employees, a company can figure out exactly where they stand with these different techniques and also find out where they might best make immediate improvements.

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Ten tips on how to create a happy work-space