How to Effectively Balance Company Needs and Employee Happiness


Employee happiness is one of the most discussed issues in the business community, and for good reason. After all, the evidence suggests that happy employees are more engaged, productive, effective and also more likely to stay in their jobs. Put simply, happy employees are good for business. And that’s why companies are so keen to invest in the best employee recognition and rewards programs. Ultimately however, the aim of any company is to be productive and successful. So what happens when you have to make decisions that are good for business but bad for your employees’ happiness? 

It’s a tightrope that all employers need to walk, so here are three things business leaders should consider when attempting to find the perfect balance.

Stop thinking about happiness and start thinking about engagement

By its very nature happiness is subjective. For some people it can be the thrill of a high pressure meeting or a project completed on a tight deadline, for others it can be found in the social aspect of work and the interactions in the office environment. 

But because happiness means different things to different people it can be incredibly difficult to standardize across an entire organization. That’s why organizations should instead focus their efforts on employee engagement. 

Engagement is inherently easier to quantify, it’s why companies across the globe now conduct regular employee engagement surveys to measure how they are performing in this area. That’s in part because there are common threads that link people who feel more engaged in their work. Things like effective communication, recognition, rewards, and opportunities for personal development are all key to engaged employees. 

But focussing on engagement over happiness isn’t just easier for employers, it also directly correlates to your company’s success. Think of it this way, a happy employee isn’t necessarily a productive employee, but an engaged employee almost certainly is. The key then is to shift your company’s mindset away from employee happiness and towards employee engagement. 

Employee engagement doesn’t happen overnight however, instead it’s the result of a deliberate process that involves culture, rewards and recognition. For advice on keeping employee engagement high in your company, take a look at our recent webinar with Katie Dunsworth-Reiach, Co-Founder and Principal of Talk Shop Media, who broke down the secret to the company’s success. 

Focus on collective purpose

There is plenty of research out there that shows that employees perform better when they understand the purpose of their nine-to-fives. In fact one survey found that a staggering 9 out of 10 people would actually be willing to earn less money in order to do more meaningful work. It all boils down to understanding where we fit into the bigger picture and that’s great news for business leaders who are attempting to balance employee happiness with their business needs.

You see, while your peoples’ happiness and your business objectives may not always follow the same path, creating a sense of purpose is intrinsically linked to your company’s success. The key is to create corporate culture where everyone feels like they have a part to play, then support that culture through ongoing initiatives that reinforce those values. 

That’s why employee recognition programs, like Bucketlist, are extremely beneficial to building and maintaining your company’s corporate culture. When you regularly thank your staff for their efforts and reward actions that contribute to your company’s overall success, you help to understand their purpose and feel like they are part of something bigger.

Develop a program 

From on-site beer taps to free lunches, duvet days and even office dogs, companies across the globe are working harder than ever to improve their employees’ experience at work. But if you truly want to help improve your employees’ lives then one of the most effective things any business can do to boost their engagement is to implement the best recognition and rewards programs that delivers real results.

Recognition and rewards programs make it easy and fun to recognize and reward your peoples’ milestones, achievements and hard work. Not only do they make your people feel more engaged and motivated, they can also help to cement your corporate culture and ensure that you hold onto your best staff. 

If you’re looking for the best recognition and rewards program, Bucketlist can help. Bucketlist employee recognition software is customizable to your business so you can coordinate awards and automate them too. Read more information about the employee recognition programs though Bucketlist https://bucketlistrewards.com/product/.