Well there’s no doubt that a well trained, motivated, confident and acknowledged employee will contribute far more to a company’s bottom line than an employee who is not happy in their job.  The positive impact of a happy employee can be measured by both direct and indirect contribution.

A happy employee works harder and smarter, they take less sick days, focus more on delivering quality, engage more with work colleagues, are more willing to go the extra mile when the pressure is on and generally demonstrate more flexibility in their role.

A happy employee will take better care of your customers. Richard Branson said taking care of his employees was the most important thing to do in business stating “ if you take care of your employees they will take care of your customers”

So what can you do to keep your employees happy ?, where can you find the time ? and how much does it cost ?

There have been multiple studies and white papers written over the last two decades which all concur that companies who invest time to engage with their workforce through direct programs such as training & personal development, performance related incentives, employee benefits etc will see increased bottom line performance and greater employee retention.

By taking advantage of the latest technologies employers can make a genuine and significant difference to how an employee feels about their job, where they work and the people they work with. Utilising tools like self service HR systems with mobile communication enables employees to directly get involved in their own development as well as being empowered to directly manage their work time and leave. A recent study by Cedar Crestone Research reveals that automated HR self service delivery will jump from 44% to 72 % within the next 36 months.

Being able to submit holiday requests,  sign up to training courses, getting involved in company sports & social programs,  provide input to personal reviews and assessments makes an employee feel inclusive and empowered .  Having the capability to download and print personal documents such as P60’s, verification of earnings for loan applications etc  save’s them and their HR department considerable time and expense. A recent Hunter Group survey claims that a company who implements and promotes employee engagement through such self service programs will experience up to 60% improvement in employee retention.

Providing the means for employees to further educate or up-skill themselves benefits both the employee and the employer. By widening the internal skills pool through providing sponsored training programs an employer is less likely to need to go looking externally to find people with the skills and qualifications needed to keep his business moving forward.

All too often employers and managers claim to be too busy to invest time with their employees and teams.   If only they knew how much it was costing them and what they were missing!

Excusing the old cliché that “employees are a company’s greatest asset” it is in fact very true, however it is only recently that employers are beginning to recognise that if you take care of your workforce it is good for business on every front.

Customers want to be served by happy, competent and knowledgeable employees, it makes them feel more positive about the company they are dealing with.

So it’s a fact, happier employees are healthier employees who work harder, smarter and stay with you longer. They make customers and colleagues feel better about your business and that all adds up to a better bottom line.

Smart tips for employers and managers:

• Spend at least 20 minutes a month with each of your direct reports for a one on one. You will gain a lot more if you let them do the talking and you do the listening and responding.
• Invest time to find out how they are getting on, what’s important in their life right now. Find out what you can do to help them progress in their role and their career.
• Make suggestions for training courses that would help them progress.
• Give them honest and direct feedback on their performance. Praise them for when they have exceeded normal expectations. Help them to understand how they can achieve higher levels of performance.
• Ask them “what more can you do for them ?”