Empathy Matters
24 May, 2023
HR's Toolkit for Workplace Happiness: A Guide for a Joyful and Engaged Workforce
Whenever you think of the essential elements for fostering a fulfilling work culture, happiness may not initially come to mind. Instead, you may look for other materialistic tools such as fringe benefits, pay raises, paid leaves, recognition and appreciation and other advancement opportunities that surge an employee’s well-being in the workspace.
Nonetheless, various studies and reports show that happiness is correlated with the success of an organisation. A company that practices holistic approaches to implement strategies to boost overall happiness also improves employee motivation, and work speed and reduces turnover rates.
HR as the Custodian of Employee Happiness: Excellent Tips for Enhancing Employee Well-Being
Human Resources which is considered to be at the best managerial position can tackle employee mental wellbeing and limit unhealthy activities such as negativity and conflicts. Therefore, we can infer that the role of Human Resources in uplifting happiness in the and maintaining a state of equilibrium between organizational goals and the personal goals of employees is highly indispensable. In this article, PCS explores effective strategies and initiatives that the HR of your company can implement and achieve the happiness factor in your work setting.
1. Prioritize work-life balance
To achieve an engaged and happy workforce, HR should give them remote working arrangement benefits. Flexible working schemes are beneficial for modern workplaces which ease the workload on an employee by allowing him to work from home. It acts as a stress buster for working mothers, ill employees and employees experiencing mental health issues such as anxiety, insomnia, and depression.
How you can do this?
Try offering work-from-home Mondays, reducing working hours, gym memberships, organising wellness programs, and childcare facilities, encouraging time off and vacations, and other incentives to show them that they are valued and cared for.
2. Offer Career Development and Growth Opportunities
Anyone who joins an organisation is not doing it for some sort of mental prosperity, they work long hours only for progressing in their career and achieving their professional goals. This concept of offering growth opportunities has become a prime responsibility and priority for many companies. The hr should curate a systematic career plan suited to individual employees that allows them to boost their proficiency in their job role. It will simultaneously lead the employee towards increased morale and happiness.
How you can do this?
An effective tool for the career progression of employees is through promotions, increased pay and monetary benefits and upskilling. Training, career planning, coaching, mentoring, and pairing your new hires with work buddies can also escalate your approach to fostering a happy workspace.
Related article: BEGINNER’S CAREER PLANNING GUIDE - HOW IS IT VITAL FOR EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT?
3. Promote Interdepartmental Collaboration
Yet another way to keep employees happy is to encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing between various departments on the organisational chain. Being happier at work means increased productivity, reduced absenteeism, and more accountability. HR must strive to promote teamwork and employee relations. Employees must step out of their offices and engage with other departments and teams.
How you can do it?
We have numerous strategies that HR can adopt to promote cross-department collaboration:
4. Offer Volunteer Opportunities
A company is usually responsible towards the general public for it attains so many resources from the natural environment and it gives it a competitive advantage and builds goodwill too. Similarly, the employees working in a company should be made to give back to society. Monthly community service drives and projects should be organised. HR should encourage employees to participate in charitable events. This will foster a sense of fulfilment and purpose in your workforce.
5. HR's – Mediator’s Touch
It is an undisputed fact that HR plays a key role in restoring harmony in the workplace by resolving differences and harnessing collaboration. Conflict although inevitable, can be diminished if handled with caution. It affects an employee’s mental setup, morale, productivity and of course- the overall culture of your company. Paving the way for effective conflict management by training managers and the workforce is an essential component of securing workplace happiness.
How you can do this?
The key considerations for promoting successful dispute resolution are:
Formulate a conflict management framework and underlying policies
Encourage a culture of open and honest communication
Give mentorship and training to employees
Mediation and use of neutral third party
Foster a feel-safe environment and comfortable space for reporting disputes without fear of retaliation
Continuous monitoring and evaluation
Do read our blog on How Managers Can Deal with Workplace Negativity, HERE!
To Wrap It Up
All you need to do is to spread good vibes, provide good coffee, and delicious snacks and include fun and engaging events and activities that will nurture your workforce inside and out it's that easy!
PCS is the best platform to find the right jobs. We believe that diversity is here to stay. All individuals, irrespective of gender, race, ethnicity, or disabilities, who fulfil the job descriptions have a place in PCS!
