What really makes employees happy?
I train groups of people from all walks of life. When I stand in front of a group and ask, “What makes you happy at work?” nearly all the time they reply “Recognition for a job well done.” When I ask, “Do you mean that you would like an Employee of the Month certificate?” These people clearly explain to me, “I want my supervisor to notice the work that I do, and tell me that I have done a good job.” We then go on to discuss how they want to be told, and it is pretty simple. They just want their supervisor to see what they are doing, and to say, with sincerity, “Good job,” when it is a good job. No one else has to hear, they just want to know that they are appreciated. The second most important thing to make them happy at work, according to the groups that I work with, is to feel that they are “in” on things. This means that they want to know what is going on with the entire company, and how their work fits in. The easy reward program If supervisors made sure, in their weekly or daily m
