Employees at companies in the U.S. and Canada are “generally happy” people and those working at small businesses are the happiest of all. That’s according to a “major” research study that Robert Half and London–based Happiness Works released Oct. 27 that addresses the question of what drives people to be happy — or unhappy — at […]
Employees at companies in the U.S. and Canada are “generally happy” people and those working at small businesses are the happiest of all.
That’s according to a “major” research study that Robert Half and London–based Happiness Works released Oct. 27 that addresses the question of what drives people to be happy — or unhappy — at work.
Happiness Works is a firm that provides companies with tools to “identify, measure and manage” employee happiness, according to a Robert Half news release.
The survey of 12,000 workers examines who are the happiest, unhappiest, most stressed, and uninterested people at work.
Robert Half commissioned the survey in collaboration with Nic Marks, founder of Happiness Works and a “noted expert in the field of happiness,” according to Robert Half.
The report includes the opinions of more than 12,000 workers in the U.S. and Canada (10,000 in the U.S. and 2,000 in Canada). The survey, which was conducted online in July, included 30 questions.
On-the-job happiness
The research found most professionals are “generally happy.” On a happiness scale of 0 to 100, those surveyed scored a 71, according to the report.
The research used three key indicators to measure happiness, says Robert (Bob) Nealon, regional president for Robert Half who oversees the upstate New York and southeastern Massachusetts markets.
“The first one was having pride in the work that you do every day. The second was feeling appreciated by your organization, and then the third was being treated with fairness and respect in the workplace by your employer,” says Nealon.
He noted that 71 percent of those polled responded yes to all three of the questions asking about those indicators.
Nealon spoke with CNYBJ on Nov. 7 from his office in Westborough, Massachusetts.
The research also found that the top driver of overall workplace happiness is having pride in your organization.
Those who feel proud of their organization are three times more likely to be happy than those who are not, the report said.
The second and third top factors driving happiness are feeling appreciated and being treated with fairness and respect.
One-third of workers (33 percent) say they will likely leave their current employer in the next six months; workers who report that they are not a good match with their employers are the most apt to leave.
Nic Marks, CEO and founder of Happiness Works, noted in the news release that happiness isn’t about feeling cheerful every day or avoiding challenges.
“Work can be difficult and demanding, but if employees feel proud of what their organization does, respected as a person and appreciated for what they do, then they tend to be happy and do better work as a result. Happiness at work is a genuine win-win — great for employees and great for employers,” said Marks.
Company size and occupation
The report found small-business employees are happier. People working in firms with 10 or fewer employees have the “highest” happiness levels. Organizations with 10,000 or more employees indicated the “lowest” levels of happiness.
People working in the education and training sector, along with the marketing and design field, report the highest levels of on-the-job happiness and interest in their work. The report also found finance professionals were among those reporting the lowest levels on workplace happiness and interest.
Legal professionals reported the highest stress levels at work, while technology employees cited the lowest stress levels, according to the research.
Benefits, happiness factors
The report also outlined the benefits of having happy employees, and the six factors that influence employee happiness.
Having happy employees “creates a very good culture,” says Nealon.
“It’s very, very important for the long-term health of an organization to … create that for [its] employees,” he adds.
Having happy employees “drives retention” and encourages “meaningful contributions,” says Nealon.
The report cites six factors that influence happiness, including fitting in well at a given employee’s work place; having a sense of empowerment; feeling appreciated; handling “interesting and meaningful” work; feeling like you’re being treated fairly; and having “positive” workplace relationships.
Happiness by age, gender
The research found that millennials “want to make their mark.” For those age 34 and under, a sense of accomplishment is the “strongest determinant of happiness.”
Workers aged 35 to 54, categorized as “Generation X,” are the “least happy, most stressed out and least interested” in their work.
At the same time, employees aged 55 and up report the highest levels of happiness on the job.
The research also found that men feel more influential. In the U.S., men fare better than women in “nearly every aspect” of happiness studied.
The biggest difference was in the influence they have on business decisions, with 55 percent of men saying they are able to influence business decisions, compared to 47 percent of women.
Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com