5 Ways to Promote Happiness at Work

5 Ways to Promote Happiness at Work5 Ways to Promote Happiness at WorkI started Monday morning by going to fill my water bottle in the break room. Someone had distribution policyd a Post-it notlagee on the water cooler that read You matter Id never seen anything quite like it at the office. I couldnt help but smile. Someone had brightened my day near the finance department where I sit, and I didnt even know who to thank for this inspirational message of happiness at work.When was the last time you made an effort to improve the workplace happiness of your finance team? Happy employees are good for business. They are more engaged, loyal and productive.Report shows finance professionals could be happierIts an area finance managers shouldnt neglect. In fact, they have room for improvement, according to a new Robert Half report, ITS TIME WE ALL WORK HAPPY. Accounting, financial services and finance professionals scored fairly low in their levels of happiness at work, compared with employe es in other fields.Happiness comes from more than providing a foosball table in the lobby, collaborating with a colleague on a successful project or doling out bonuses. And you dont have to break the bank to make it happen.Find out more about how to build a happier workforce, one job at a time. GET THE REPORTHere are five of my favorite tips finance managers can use to improve happiness at work and make their teams feel appreciated1. Put it in writingA handwritten thank-you to your direct reports, colleagues or boss can be more meaningful than an email. Such an effort requires some stationery, a little extra time to craft and deliver, but is often appreciated by the recipient. Employers need to promote a positive culture that includes recognition and feeling appreciated to attract and retain great people.Fostering positive emotions through gratitude is easy and powerful, says Dr. Christine Carter, author and senior fellow at the University of California, Berkeley. The science on thi s is blazingly clear. There are loads of research studies that show how much higher functioning people are when they feel appreciated by their teams and their manager.Takeaway Feeling appreciated is the biggest driver of happiness in the workplace for accounting professionals, according to the report.2. Conduct a teambuilding eventIt could be a friendly Academy Awards or March Madness competition, an off-site volunteer event, or ropes course. Such activities can help staff learn more about their coworkers and boost morale in the workplace. Make sure its presented as optional or that theres something for everyone not everyone may be a movie buff or sports fan.Takeaway Workers who have a sense of camaraderie at work are 2.5 times more likely to be happy on the job than those who do not get along well with colleagues.Learn more about the anatomy of a happy employee in the infographic, below.3. Have a partyCelebrating coworkers milestones such as birthdays, anniversaries, baby showers or good work can build comradery and bring employees together, especially if its for a good cause. Be clear that contributions are voluntary, and remember that happiness comes from more than just a free lunch or annual holiday party. If people dont feel valued by your firm, these perks wont make much of a difference.The key for managers is to express gratitude and to be really specific about the particular effort the employee made, Carter says, because thats when people feel seen and recognized.Takeaway Eighty-nine percent of managers in another Robert Half survey said their organization is good at showing appreciation to employees, while 30 percent of employees gave their firm low marks for it.4. Ask for inspirationTheres no secret ingredient to increasing happiness levels in the office. What works for a small CPA firm might not fly at a larger organization. Sure, you have to pay people well, but creating a great place to work where employees have pride in what they do begins with you.Unless youre a mind reader, youll never know what instills pride and motivation in your employees, until you ask. Then, follow through. Follow-up on that feedback and empower your employees to create a better workplace.Takeaway Salary benchmarks for finance and accounting positions in your city are available at Robert Halfs Salary Center.5. Give them a sense of empowermentEngaging your staff by giving them a chance to make decisions on their own, or with minimal direction, improves workplace happiness by making them feel more valued. Let them flex their creative muscles and influence important decisions in their jobs.Takeaway Only 47 percent of women in the happiness research say they exert influence on the job, compared to 55 percent of men who say the same. At large companies, 35 percent of workers say they have influence.As Todd Henry, founder of Accidental Creative and contributor to the Robert Half report, says, People are most invested in their work when they feel like th ey are part of something larger than themselves.Most studies show that happiness positively impacts the quality and quantity of work - and when you make employee happiness one of your top organizational priorities, its good for your business.If youre still not sure where to start to give your finance team a happiness boost, try a Post-it note, and be happy- Lisa Amstutz Lisa Amstutz Lisa Amstutz is the public relations manager for Robert Half Finance Accounting, the worlds first and largest specialized financial recruitment service. In her role, she translates key business needs and messages into communications strateg ies and develops the companys thought leadership. Shes a master collaborator, storyteller and former journalist. She is based in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she lives with her family.