Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK (9-15 May 2022) offers the perfect time to recognise the causes and cures for our modern stress, mental health and loneliness epidemics. We know that the past two years have had a significant impact on many and the pandemic has had a hugely detrimental effect on the nation’s mental health and sense of community.
It is imperative that we continue to focus on the wellbeing of the community we find ourselves in, whether that be at home or at work. Most of us spend a large part of our day in the workplace, therefore employers play an important role in the mental health and wellbeing of their employees and checking in on their happiness can go a long way in supporting their health.
One of the top reasons employees leave their jobs is due to a lack of professional growth opportunities
Keep checking in
Incorporating an employee happiness survey into your monthly employee check in can help employers measure whether their employees are engaged and happy. More importantly it will help employers support employees who might be struggling. That’s why it’s so important to keep a pulse on employee happiness.
Of course, a staff happiness survey is only as good as the questions. Here are 15 essential employee wellbeing questions to ask employees:
1. How well do you understand the strategic goals of the business?
A well-run company will align an individual’s goals with its overarching business goals. This ensures your entire team is moving together, in the same direction.
2. Can you see a clear link between your work and the company’s goals and objectives?
Happy employees clearly understand how their work impacts a company’s overarching goals and objectives. We all like to feel needed and appreciated and this translates into the workplace.
3. Do you feel like you have opportunities for growth and advancement?
One of the top reasons employees leave their jobs is due to a lack of professional growth opportunities. Even if your employees are happy with their current job, they will be pushing to advance at some point.
4. How well does your team work together?
Teamwork and collaboration are vital in most workplaces. You need to make sure your employees are happy with the dynamic of their team.
5. Are you proud to be a member of your team?
Is your employee happy to be associated with their co-workers?
6. Does your team inspire you to do your best work?
A great team is a team that inspires one another. This is an important question to ask because a smooth-running team within your company will be a team of individuals who help one another do their best work.
7. Does your team help you to complete your work?
If results from the happiness at work questionnaire show signs of employee dissatisfaction, make sure you prioritise team building efforts so your people can see that you’re following through.
8. How does your manager motivate your team?
There’s a fair amount of truth in the old saying, ‘You don’t quit your job, you quit your boss.’ So it’s important to gauge the degree of satisfaction with direct supervisors.
9. How would you describe the level of support offered by your manager?
Effective management should mean an employee feels supported by their manager. If you consistently see low scores for this question, it’s time to start making changes.
10. On a scale of 1 to 10, how comfortable are you in giving feedback to your manager?
Guess what? Managers don’t always know best. Receiving employee feedback is super important to the effective growth of a company and a strong work culture. Employees should feel confident providing feedback to their manager.
11. To what degree is the management team transparent?
Transparency is an incredibly important factor that contributes to workplace happiness. When it comes to leadership, transparency equates to honesty and openness. You need to find out whether your staff trust your candour.
12. Describe our culture in fewer than 20 words
Because leadership and culture are intertwined, make sure you find out what your employees think about your culture and whether they believe in your company and vision.
13. How strongly do you feel valued at work?
Feeling valued at work is a huge motivator, so this is an important question to gauge how valued your workers feel.
14. How frequently do you receive recognition from your manager?
If employees tell you it’s been weeks since they received any recognition, there’s a good chance morale is slipping. And that’s the fast track to zoning out, low productivity and ultimately turnover.
15. Are you satisfied with your compensation and benefits?
While you may not be able to afford to give your employees a pay rise, you may be able to offer them a more generous employee benefits package. Something that doesn’t cost your company directly, but all adds up to big value for your employees.
Invest some time and money to decorate your space with things that will keep your team motivated and inspired
Get employees thriving!
For employers looking to create a happy workplace for their employees, here are eight top tips to creating a workplace where all your employees can thrive:
- Get to know your team
- Celebrate all the wins (big or small) together
- Show people how they contribute to the business
- Be consistent. Consistency = a happy workplace
- Say thank you!
- Invest some time and money to decorate your space with things that will keep your team motivated and inspired
- Make sure your team always knows you’re thinking about them! Even if it’s something small
- Make sure everyone in your business feels like they have the means, and a safe environment to communicate with others
Interested in this topic? Read Employee Benefits: The secret to keeping employees happy at work.
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