The Keys to Unlocking Employee Happiness and Well-Being

What do employees really want? The question can befuddle managers and CEOs, as they work to not only understand what makes their employees tick, but how they can help them better do their jobs and improve the company’s bottom line. When it comes to discovering the keys to unlocking employee happiness and well-being, it can help to look at company’s that are doing it right. Virgin Airlines, is a massively successful company founded by entrepreneur and adventurer Richard Branson. One of our personal heroes at GetAssist, Branson lives life by his own rules, and makes a point to lead a company that empowers its employees to be the best they can be—inside and outside of the workplace. Here are some tips from Virgin that will help you increase employee satisfaction at your own workplace to turn your company from good to great.

Change Old Habits

Bad habits that negatively affect our health slingshot employees into burnout-mode faster than anything else. Better habits, on the other hand, replenish workers and provide both long-term health and productivity benefits. “Habits spread like wildfire, so changing them in a place that has tremendous social support and context can extend the spread of these healthy habits beyond the workplace,” says Virgin Pulse CEO Chris Boyce. He also mentions that BP Canada does a good job of this, by encouraging people to schedule vacation time in advance and rewarding them for it taking time off to rest and recharge.

Don’t Fool Yourself Into Thinking It Costs Too Much

There aren’t many employees out there who are motivated purely by money alone. Terri Bailey, Director of Performance and Engagement at Virgin Holidays suggests giving employees the opportunity to enhance their leadership skills as one way to improve employee happiness on a budget. Share knowledge, expertise and ideas that can help your employees grow whenever you can. Encourage them to participate in exercises that leave them feeling a sense of achievement and purpose.

Provide a Positive Working Environment

A positive working environment may mean different things from industry to industry, but overall your employees should leave feeling just as good as they did when they came in, says Virgin Hotels CEO Raul Leal. Poll employees and ask them what they envision as a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere. For some this may mean a meditation or nap room, while for others it could be proximity to outdoor light and fresh air.

Create an Internal Community

“We created an internal community that on an ongoing basis could reinforce our company behaviours, but also allow employees to speak to us,” says Leal. “At the end of the day, part of the strategy with the app was to bring employees together very closely, and so far it’s been a big hit.” Creating your own app for internal communications may not be feasible, however. That’s where GetAssist comes in. On GetAssist, workplace managers can easily create 100 percent private communities for employees to meet and engage. Why not get your company on GetAssist and start increasing employee happiness and well-being today?