How Happiness can Enhance your Productivity

Happiness motivates greater effort, increasing output without affecting its quality and thus boosting productivity. Both a temporary increase in happiness and long-term changes in baseline happiness are associated with greater productivity.

Happier employees work harder, work better together in teams and are generally more productive. But why is it that happiness increases productivity? Why does enjoying your work typically lead to higher productivity?

Being happy at work means thoroughly enjoying what you do and loving where you work. So why exactly are happy employees more productive?

Happiness is Contagious

Happiness is of a multiplying nature; when nurtured, it can grow all over the entire company. More happy employees means more happy bosses; more happy bosses means more happy employees, and the cycle continues.

Employees who find joy in their work easily become shining role models for their co-workers; and encourage them to also take joy in their work. Managers who find joy in their jobs also encourage the workers under them to enjoy their work and are less likely to be stereotypically tyrannical.

Happiness increases productivity, because happy employees support one other. When employees have positive attitudes they are more willing to support fellow workers in achieving the company’s goals especially in group projects. Employees who are happy are also more likely to ask for help when they need it and this is very important for productivity because many employees feel ashamed to ask for support when they need it.

Happy employees care more about their jobs

They are typically the ones who care about the company and are driven to make it achieve its goals, they are the only ones who even bother to find out these goals in the first place. When employees are happy, they feel invested in the organisation’s goals and are more compelled to work.

Happiness increases productivity because it leads to higher engagement so happy employees are also more present. They pay more attention to the needs of customers and they are more alert of the company’s processes and systems. All these factors come together to bring organisations increased productivity and profitability.

They are often more loyal

They are more also resilient and according to Gallup, are more likely to stay with their employers for the long term. A lowered turnover means less time and money spent on hiring and training new employees as well as fewer breaks or slowdowns in productivity to induct them.

Furthermore, happy employees make it a point to show up to work and do more work. They find it easier to go above and beyond what is expected of them and put in those precious overtime hours.

Happy employees take more risks

Happy employees are more likely to take calculated risks. Business is not about playing it safe, it is about taking the right opportunities at the right time and happy employees are more engaged and hence more likely to notice and act upon gaps in the market.

Happy employees also create a supportive environment in the workplace that encourages everyone to learn from their mistakes rather than fear them. Mistakes can be a powerful learning tool that can open the door to unforeseen success and employees who are afraid to make mistakes stand to miss out on these important learning opportunities.

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