The Secret to Employee Happiness at Work

Did you know that, according to Indeed’s Work Wellbeing Report, only 23% of workers say they’re thriving at work?

That leaves a staggering 77% of people reporting moderate to low wellbeing at work. Let’s unpack that. These people are:

  • More likely to stress about their employers or managers not caring about how they feel

  • More likely to be actively searching for a new job

  • Less likely to feel energised in their tasks, trust the people around them, or feel a sense of belonging

In other words, 77% of people are unhappy in their roles, and that’s not just a people problem; it’s a business problem.

Here’s my two-pence on it.

Workplaces and leaders who aren’t prioritising their people — who don’t genuinely care about their needs or do everything they can to help their team thrive — are directly impacting the bottom line (that’s the company’s profit, by the way). We all know the secret to retaining employees isn’t a secret at all. Make them feel valued and they will be more likely stay. 

This all ties back to Intrapreneurship — helping employees feel like they’re running their own business. Within my Intrapreneurship methodology, I speak about three key pillars:

  1. What would I do if it was my first day?

  2. What would I do if it was my best friend?

  3. What would I do if it was my business?

Today, I want to focus on the first pillar.

If you’re a leader, I want you to think about this: on your employee’s first day, do you genuinely care about them as a person? Do you see them as a valuable asset, and more importantly, are you making them feel like one?

Do you make sure everything is ready for their arrival — their equipment, their welcome, their schedule — or are you leaving them sat in reception for twenty minutes before someone finally remembers to come and get them? 

In Intrapreneurship, it’s all about making your employees feel as important every day as they did on their first day. True leadership is about being the support network for your team. It’s about showing genuine care for their needs, making them feel seen, and creating a culture of belonging.

Leadership is not about leaving your team to “crack on” and checking in once a quarter for a PDP. It’s really about building an ongoing, supportive relationship that helps your people grow and lets them know they matter.

Here’s my challenge for you today:
Ask yourself: if today was your team member’s very first day, what would you do differently? Now go do it.

In June, I conducted some research into happiness at work, and the results were very interesting, to say the least! If you want to know more about keeping your team engaged and genuinely happy, download my free report. 

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