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Photo by DAVID ILIFF. License: CC-BY-SA 3.0
Summary: Business owners in the UK are the happiest members of the workforce, according to a new survey.
Key takeaways:
- Life/work balance is a major part of employee happiness.
- The happiest employees tend to be more productive and can even be healthier.
The happiest workers in the UK are business owners, says a report called the Regus Work:Life Balance Index. "Employers must recognise the importance of work-life balance not only for their own health and that of their staff but for the company as a whole," explained CEO of Regus John Spencer. (Source: Real Business)
His point is well-taken but it may be a bit ahead of the societal curve. Many organizations still don't provide an employee-centric culture. Meaning that they don't allow flexible schedules to accommodate work/life balance and they might not even particularly appreciate their employees.
Culture change in companies can take a long time, but if the research is correct the payoff is there in terms of better employee engagement, which means they will be happier and more productive. Also, the more engaged employees are the less likely it is they will leave and employee turnover is very costly for companies.
In addition to valuing work/life balance, employees appreciate control over their work. This is likely why some of the happiest workers are entrepreneurs. Even though they do experience more stress, they also reported being more optimistic about their work, "This elevated optimism, combined with communities that foster an entrepreneurial culture, may lead entrepreneurs to take business risks, create jobs, launch new products, and innovate." ( Source: Business News Daily)
Control is a major part of employee satisfaction, because the individuals doing their work often know what they need to do without interference. They also have more freedom to be creative and have pride in owning their work, instead of being treated like children. One of the main things the new captain of a US Navy nuclear submarine did to improve the happiness and performance of his 135-man crew was give them back control of their individual jobs.
Finally, purpose has been shown by research to have a strong connection to work happiness as well. If a person knows her or his reason for being alive and can realize that purpose in work, happiness is more likely. Given the ups and downs of the global economy and sluggish recovery, many people may be driven to start small businesses by necessity, but also to be happier with their work and lives.
