Employee happiness is important to most organizations, but it can get lost in concerns over budgets and bottom lines. Despite this, research reveals that happy employees matter more than you might think.
Companies with happy employees outperform the competition by 20%, according to research presented by SnackNation, which also reports that happy employees are 12% more productive. In fact, 36% of employees would give up $5,000 a year in salary to be happier at work, the company reports.
The statistics are clear. Employee happiness is a huge factor behind a company’s success.
Your employees are your best brand ambassadors and you want them at their happiest when representing your organization.
One way to cultivate employee happiness is through benefits and perks. When it comes to recruiting talent, Glassdoor surveys reveal that nearly 3 in 5 (57%) people report benefits and perks being among their top considerations before accepting a job, while 4 in 5 people also say they would prefer new perks over a pay raise.
At Retrofit, benefits and perks play an important role in our culture, as employee happiness has always been our number one priority. If employees are happy and living a life they love, then customers, clients and investors will be happy.
"Your employees are your best brand ambassadors and you want them at their happiest when representing your organization."
Our CEO, also dubbed our chief happiness officer, uses TINYhr, a software solution to take the pulse of employees each week through an anonymous survey. The feedback reveals insights, trends and opportunities that help improve retention and shape culture in real time.
Our organization recently scored in the top 10% of companies surveyed by TINYhr when asked the question, “How happy are you at work?”
In the survey, employees cited being able to work from home, wear comfy clothes and not waste time commuting as top reasons why they love work.
Other reasons include yoga and exercise breaks during staff meetings and having healthy snacks on hand to ensure the company is living its values. The office also includes treadmill and standing desks and exercise balls to get a workout while sitting. Other perks include: Good Egg Days, where employees receive one day off a quarter to give back to their community; Treat Yo’ Self days, where staff take the day off on their birthday; a Thank-You Day or the day off before Thanksgiving; and Retrofit Recharge week, where employees take the last week in December off to relax and rejuvenate before the new year.
While perks are an easy way to win an employees’ heart initially, other factors play a role in retaining top talent. According to Glassdoor Economic Research, culture and values, career opportunities and senior leadership are the most important factors in cultivating employee satisfaction over the long-term.
