Recruitment consultants specialising in jobs in Cambridge have come up with some research which claims that the UK trails behind other countries when it comes to employee well-being. With this in mind, is it time for employers to sit up and take notice?

Staff happiness has a direct impact on profits and firms which fail to recognise this could be setting themselves up for future problems.

The poll showed that India was number one when it came to employee well-being, scoring the highest marks in five out of six indicators. Sadly, the UK was at the bottom of the poll alongside Japan.

So what can be done to improve employee happiness in the UK and just what is India doing that the UK isn't? Of course, it could be cultural, as India is an emerging economy with a growing middle class. Could it be that workers in India are simply less likely to take their jobs for granted?

This may have been true before the recession, but nowadays most employees are desperate to hang on to their jobs in Cambridge and all over the UK. So are managers guilty of neglecting staff and putting short term profits before well-being? Whatever the reason, it doesn't take much to transform your workplace into a more harmonious environment. For those in executive jobs in Cambridge, for example, there are some ways to make the workplace much happier.

Communication

Give clear goals and offer praise. If improvements are required, keep the tone positive and be supportive while offering solutions. Delegate without micromanaging. most employees thrive on fresh challenges.

Flexible Working

Do you really need your employees at their desks, nine to five, five days a week? Think about how flexible working could be offered to employees. Consider options for home working, job sharing and flexible hours.

Offer Opportunities to Socialise

A staff lunch or a similar social event will go a long way in helping staff to feel appreciated. Casual Fridays, with a glass of wine at 5pm, are among the small things you can implement that have large pay-offs.

Bonuses and Incentives

Try to reward staff with bonuses and other incentives for good work. If financial incentives are difficult, then you may have to be creative and come up other solutions.

Developing a simple strategy that focuses on staff well-being could help firms keep afloat in tough times. Healthy, happy employees are good for business. They work harder, take fewer sick days and are less likely to jump ship at the first job opportunity that comes their way.

Far from being an afterthought, employee well-being should be deemed as important as customer relations.If employees are unhappy then they will be damaging your business.