Why are trust and happiness at work so important?

happiness and trust in the workplace

In days gone by, happiness and trust at work weren’t considered particularly important. Nice to have, certainly. Desired, even. But employee wellbeing and satisfaction were secondary to productivity and results.

But in the last few decades, we’ve begun to see that happiness, trust, and positive business outcomes are inextricably linked. Businesses have started to sit up and take employee satisfaction seriously. Think of the success of businesses like Google, who command legendary employee loyalty.

Like company culture, no company can afford to ignore happiness and trust anymore. Let’s take a look at some of the key benefits to taking this aspect of work seriously.

happiness and trust in the workplace stress

Reducing stress levels improves productivity

Do you know how many working days are lost to workplace stress each year? In the UK alone, it’s 15.4 million. Imagine the number across Europe. Or even the world. As employers, it’s something we can take steps to improve.

But tackling stress isn’t just about reducing absenteeism. The happier and less stressed your workers are, the more engaged they’ll be. According to a study by the University of Warwick, they’re up to 12% more productive! This is because happier people use their time more efficiently, and have less demands on their concentration.

When a team works from a position of trust, they’re more likely to collaborate. A team that trusts each other’s expertise makes decision-making more efficient and leads to a happier and more harmonised team.

happiness and trust in the workplace profitjpg

Happiness and trust at work benefit the bottom line

Productivity and efficiency don’t exist in a vacuum. Ultimately, improving productivity levels will have an impact on your bottom line: it’ll increase your sales and revenue.

Nowhere is this more evident than in your sales team, where happiness levels can increase sales by 37%. And that’s no surprise, because people like to do business with happy people. If your sales team are happy, they’ll feel more secure, allowing them to think creatively and make their own decisions. As a consequence, they’ll find it easier to close those deals and upsell.

happiness and trust in the workplace calculator

Happiness has a multiplying effect

Talking of people enjoying working with happy people, happiness is contagious. Studies show that sharing positive experiences improves life satisfaction for both parties. And it has something of a domino effect: happiness can spread over two or three degrees of separation as it passes from one person to another.

It’s the job of leaders to act as role models by encouraging behaviour they value in the workplace. But don’t forget that colleagues are also role models for each other. Hiring happy people is one way you can harness joy in the workplace. But you’ll need to maintain that level of happiness and trust by following through on your promises and clearly communicating your vision.

happiness and trust in the workplace mistake

Happy team members make less mistakes and deal with them more proactively

No one’s immune to mistakes. But complaining about them isn’t helpful and does nothing to remedy the situation.

A fearful, untrusting environment puts employees on edge and makes them scared of making mistakes. But instead of avoiding mistakes, they make more. Instinct then makes them cover them up, making the problem even worse.

Instead, when happy people make mistakes, they take a step back and get on with fixing the problem.

Mistakes aren’t always a negative: they’re intrinsically connected to risk-taking. But employees that feel safe to make mistakes are more likely to take the kind of calculated risks that companies need to grow and develop.

So how can you improve happiness and trust at work? That’s one of the things we explored in a recent blogpost about what it takes to be a great leader. Take a look now and let us know your thoughts!

Building a happy team starts with the right hires. If you’re in the automotive or industrial sector and looking for your next great hire, then get in touch with MasterSearch. We’re dedicated to making your job easier and supporting you across your entire business. Get in touch on +44 207 101 9623 or email rmasterson@mastersearch.co.uk.

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