Happiness In The Workplace

In the past, it was thought that forming office friendships can lead to discussions of inappropriateness, decreased productivity or breaches of confidentiality.

Now it is seen that mixing business and friendship can boost employee satisfaction and assist in building team morale and employee retention.

If your employees are all friends and feel part of a team, it makes sense that they can achieve so much more. Motivation in the workplace can come from a sense of belonging, leading to an increase in performance and happiness.

If your employees are connected and trust one another, they are more likely to provide honest feedback and have trust for others. This is so important if your team is to improve and work together.

I hear so often from people who have been in their position of employment long term, that the reason they are still there is ‘because of the people’. I have also heard of many cases in which people have resigned due to not getting along with others or having a problem with clashing personalities. Do your employees make the same comments or is staff retention an issue?

As business advisors, we are often asked by our clients how they can retain staff and make them happier. Building team morale is key.

Don’t be afraid of workplace friendships.

By Elouise Barker