Comments on: 3 ways to maximize your workers’ happiness — and performance http://smartblogs.com/leadership/2009/09/08/3-ways-to-maximize-your-workers-happiness-and-performance/ Engage. Innovate. Discuss. Fri, 25 May 2012 08:07:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: CollegeRecruiter.com Insights by Employers Blog http://smartblogs.com/leadership/2009/09/08/3-ways-to-maximize-your-workers-happiness-and-performance/#comment-42602 CollegeRecruiter.com Insights by Employers Blog Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:35:50 +0000 http://smartblogs.com/workforce/?p=2253#comment-42602 <strong>How to Get the Most Out of Your Employees...</strong> Employers today aren't just facing the daunting task of hiring the best people for the entry level jobs - and higher- that they have to offer; they're also challenged to retain their employees and get the most out of...... How to Get the Most Out of Your Employees…

Employers today aren’t just facing the daunting task of hiring the best people for the entry level jobs – and higher- that they have to offer; they’re also challenged to retain their employees and get the most out of……

]]> By: Mike Zambon http://smartblogs.com/leadership/2009/09/08/3-ways-to-maximize-your-workers-happiness-and-performance/#comment-42601 Mike Zambon Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:07:45 +0000 http://smartblogs.com/workforce/?p=2253#comment-42601 The findings of this post are fascinating. It would appear the factors outlined here are pretty straightforward and something I bet most organizations claim to do. However, recent reports from Kronos <a href="http://(http://tinyurl.com/muko9u)" rel="nofollow">(http://tinyurl.com/muko9u)</a> and others show the workforce does not feel engaged based on negative productivity. In addition, the statistics show a majority of workers are dissatisfied with their employers. I would take this one step further, and say many companies have serious employer brand issues on their hands, and could very well impact their ability to attract and retain top talent. <a href="http://blog.yoh.com/2009/09/employment-brand-how-important-is-it.html" rel="nofollow">http://blog.yoh.com/2009/09/employment-brand-how-...</a> -Mike Zambon, Blogger at The Seamless Workforce The findings of this post are fascinating. It would appear the factors outlined here are pretty straightforward and something I bet most organizations claim to do. However, recent reports from Kronos (http://tinyurl.com/muko9u) and others show the workforce does not feel engaged based on negative productivity. In addition, the statistics show a majority of workers are dissatisfied with their employers. I would take this one step further, and say many companies have serious employer brand issues on their hands, and could very well impact their ability to attract and retain top talent.
http://blog.yoh.com/2009/09/employment-brand-how-…

-Mike Zambon, Blogger at The Seamless Workforce

]]> By: A Three-fer on Work and Happiness | Corporate Idealist http://smartblogs.com/leadership/2009/09/08/3-ways-to-maximize-your-workers-happiness-and-performance/#comment-42600 A Three-fer on Work and Happiness | Corporate Idealist Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:14:53 +0000 http://smartblogs.com/workforce/?p=2253#comment-42600 [...] perspective, SmartBlog on Workforce covered the happiness-productivity connection in a piece called 3 ways to maximize your workers’ happiness — and performance: “The secret to maximizing performance is to create an environment in which your employees [...] [...] perspective, SmartBlog on Workforce covered the happiness-productivity connection in a piece called 3 ways to maximize your workers’ happiness — and performance: “The secret to maximizing performance is to create an environment in which your employees [...]

]]> By: Barrett Avigdor http://smartblogs.com/leadership/2009/09/08/3-ways-to-maximize-your-workers-happiness-and-performance/#comment-42599 Barrett Avigdor Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:09:49 +0000 http://smartblogs.com/workforce/?p=2253#comment-42599 In response to Wally and Brett, I would agree that just creating a positive environment, managing to strengths and being flexible will not increase profitability. You also need to have a good product or service, a solid marketing strategy and good leadership. Assuming you have the fundamentals right, the 3 things we suggest will enhance employee productivity and retention which should help the bottom line. The impact of employee engagement on your profitability also depends somewhat on the nature of your business. In a business that relies heavily on "knowledge workers" using creativity and making good decisions, these recommendations will have maximum effect. There is a lot of science (much of which we cite in our book and in "What Happy Companies Know") to support the connection between happiness and good health and happiness and high functioning. It also appeals to common sense. We all are at our best when we feel appreciated and safe. In response to Wally and Brett, I would agree that just creating a positive environment, managing to strengths and being flexible will not increase profitability. You also need to have a good product or service, a solid marketing strategy and good leadership. Assuming you have the fundamentals right, the 3 things we suggest will enhance employee productivity and retention which should help the bottom line. The impact of employee engagement on your profitability also depends somewhat on the nature of your business. In a business that relies heavily on "knowledge workers" using creativity and making good decisions, these recommendations will have maximum effect. There is a lot of science (much of which we cite in our book and in "What Happy Companies Know") to support the connection between happiness and good health and happiness and high functioning. It also appeals to common sense. We all are at our best when we feel appreciated and safe.

]]> By: Bret Simmons http://smartblogs.com/leadership/2009/09/08/3-ways-to-maximize-your-workers-happiness-and-performance/#comment-42598 Bret Simmons Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:49:54 +0000 http://smartblogs.com/workforce/?p=2253#comment-42598 I have to strongly agree with Wally. Have you ever actually seen any of this published data? Good luck. All these "studies" ever report are their findings, and we trust them that they had well designed studies with valid and reliable measures. Since we cannot see the data, there is no way to disprove what they saying. That's bad science and bad management. I have to strongly agree with Wally. Have you ever actually seen any of this published data? Good luck. All these "studies" ever report are their findings, and we trust them that they had well designed studies with valid and reliable measures. Since we cannot see the data, there is no way to disprove what they saying. That's bad science and bad management.

]]> By: Wally Bock http://smartblogs.com/leadership/2009/09/08/3-ways-to-maximize-your-workers-happiness-and-performance/#comment-42597 Wally Bock Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:33:11 +0000 http://smartblogs.com/workforce/?p=2253#comment-42597 I always heave a deep sigh when I see yet another article that claims, "The secret to maximizing performance is to create an environment in which your employees are happy." I've read the studies you site. I read the findings as "companies with an 'engaged' workforce are more likely to be profitable." The studies identify correlation, not causation. It could be that if you make a company more profitable, that will drive your engagement scores. Or it could be that both profitability and engagement are driven by another key force. More likely a mix of forces create both productivity and improved morale and some of them interact to reinforce each other. If you are going to measure the impact of engagement or happiness on profitability, you need clear and common definitions of your terms. And you need to make your comparisons at the team level, the only level that really matters for these factors. Even leaving aside the validity of the studies, your points aren't likely to create increased profitability by themselves. A company can do the three things you suggest, all of which are good things, but they won't necessarily drive profitability. Like the original Frontier Airlines, you can have a company full of happy workers right up to the time you file bankruptcy if you don't pay attention to competitiveness and productivity. I always heave a deep sigh when I see yet another article that claims, "The secret to maximizing performance is to create an environment in which your employees are happy."

I've read the studies you site. I read the findings as "companies with an 'engaged' workforce are more likely to be profitable." The studies identify correlation, not causation. It could be that if you make a company more profitable, that will drive your engagement scores. Or it could be that both profitability and engagement are driven by another key force. More likely a mix of forces create both productivity and improved morale and some of them interact to reinforce each other.

If you are going to measure the impact of engagement or happiness on profitability, you need clear and common definitions of your terms. And you need to make your comparisons at the team level, the only level that really matters for these factors.

Even leaving aside the validity of the studies, your points aren't likely to create increased profitability by themselves. A company can do the three things you suggest, all of which are good things, but they won't necessarily drive profitability. Like the original Frontier Airlines, you can have a company full of happy workers right up to the time you file bankruptcy if you don't pay attention to competitiveness and productivity.

]]>