Recruitment
indepth
How fun leads to a healthier workforce
R etention, motivation, productivity and the success of a business are all factors that are impacted by employee happiness. They decline when employees are disengaged and unhappy and improve when morale is high. One study found only 12% of UK employees are completely happy in their job, with 8% of those strongly disagreeing with the statement “my job makes me happy”. Happiness has a huge impact on engagement, and it’s the engaged employees that show up every day with passion, purpose and energy. A healthier, present workforce Happy employees are more likely to avoid the effects of stress. Studies show those enjoying where they work are less likely to take sick days and an experiment conducted confirmed that happiness can increase productivity by as much as 12%. An engaging culture encourages stronger, healthier relationships with colleagues and encourages open discussions while building trust. It is proven to aid collaborative working and effective communication. Creative development A happy, engaged team is more open to new ideas. ‘Social play’ plays a big part in creative development. Children learn best when playing, which can also apply to adults. Creative environments encourage high-performer energy. As a result, employees are more innovative and enthusiastic. Research proves the most successful businesses make employee engagement central to their business strategy. Teams scoring in the top 20% in engagement saw a 59% reduction in staff turnover, 41% fewer employee absences and 21% greater profitability.
Ideas to implement: • The environment: Are there any changes you can make to make your office more fun/ engaging? For example, can you provide breakout areas? • Team building: Encourage your team to work together to overcome obstacles. There are a number of ideas on activities that you can find online. • Celebrate milestones: Set incentives attached to business successes and milestones. Increase motivation by asking your team to come forward with ideas for the incentives/rewards. • Friendly competition: Coming up with weekly, monthly or quarterly challenges employees can participate in can be a fun motivator. • Hobby focused competitions: Competitions using outside resources, for example a baking competition. • Internal Interaction: Introduce a platform that employees can communicate through, not just for work projects but also socially. Slack is a good one. • Wake Up Sessions: Hold a “wake up” session in the morning and/or after lunch to raise energy levels. E.g. a group activity, five- minute workout or mini-game. • Pets: Some employers let employees bring their dogs to work and have seen an increase in staff happiness. • Wellbeing: Wellbeing workshops or activities. A ten-minute session can positively impact morale during a stressful day. • Ambassadors: We have “The Ministry of Fun” at Block Recruit. It’s up to the “president” to ensure we’re having fun. You could perhaps set a quarterly budget to host an event. E.g. bowling/mini-golf tournament or team drinks. Don’t forget, creating a fun work environment doesn’t need to be costly… get creative!
A strong employer brand Company culture is a critical part of a strong employer brand. Share content and provide insight into what it’s like to work for you. People connect with people first. Showcase your culture and employer brand to potential talent. If done well, you’ll see your direct candidate pipeline improve. The fact is, if employees are happy, they’ll work harder, stay longer and they’ll be able to respond better in stressful situations. If they’re not, it could be that one difficult leaseholder that tips them over the edge. A recent study found nearly eight in ten employees said they’re likely to begin job hunting after just one bad day. Happy employees are more likely to step up with passion, purpose and energy, argues Zoe Southwell
Zoe Southwell is client development manager at Block Recruit
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