People who work for a small business are happier than those who work for large firms, according to a new report.
An impressive 86% of employees who work for a firm with between 20-100 staff feel happy at work compared to only 78% of those working for a company with more than 1000 staff.
The ‘Chiumento Happiness Index’, compiled by HR consultancy Chiumento, also stated that the most important factor in employee happiness is friendship, with 73% of Brits citing good relationships as the main reason they enjoy their job.
Having a good boss or manager and a good work/life balance also ranked highly in reasons for being happy at work.
Lack of communication from the top was cited as the top reason for dissatisfaction at work, with poor salary and not enough recognition for achievements following behind.
“Organisations might question the relevance of employee happiness, but a happy employee is likely to be more productive and perform better than an unhappy employee,” said Sarah Chiumento, chief executive of the company.
“Simple ways to boost happiness include treating staff fairly, ensuring communication is good and fostering a positive atmosphere in the workplace.
“The benefit to business is that employees will be likely to participate positively and contribute more.”
Chiumento said that businesses should think deeply about what employees really want, suggesting that ‘happy employees will not only improve the working environment, but also increase revenue’.
© Crimson Business Ltd. 2007
