Happy employees - happy workplaces

When employees experience job satisfaction, it makes a big difference to their motivation to do their work. As a result, workplaces with happy employees are more efficient and go further than workplaces where job satisfaction is not as high. But how do you increase job satisfaction? What can you do to increase your own job satisfaction and that of your colleagues?

Good collaboration increases job satisfaction

You may not have the same core competences in the same team. But it's all about finding your own core competencies in order to make the most of your potential. If we all know each other's core competencies, we can seek help from the right person and play off each other's strengths. This creates harmony in the team, where everyone is seen by each other and can use each other. In addition to knowing each other's skills and having a good interaction in the team, it also increases job satisfaction to have influence. This applies to both the small tasks you have to do yourself and decisions that are made higher up in the hierarchy. Co-determination and influence are important factors that managers or other decision-makers should be aware of so that they can make decisions on an informed basis after hearing what employees think.

Recognition is important in the workplace

Recognition is also a factor that is hugely important for increasing job satisfaction. If you feel that you are seen, heard and recognized for the work you do, motivation increases. It doesn't cost anything to show recognition. So don't hesitate to approach your colleague to show interest in his or her projects or praise them for the energy you've noticed they put into a task. There is nothing more demotivating than putting a lot of time and energy into a task if you feel it is unimportant or unnoticed.

The combination of social relationships and recognition

The employee who has strong relationships with his colleagues and feels that they understand what his contribution has done for the solution of a task and recognize his work effort, experiences a much higher job satisfaction than employees who are not recognized.

We look for things that make us happy. So if work doesn't make us happy, we are more likely to look for other opportunities. This means that workplaces need to provide a good working environment with happy employees in order to retain them.

By Josefine Huusom