Laughing at work: 4 ways to increase job satisfaction

Are you looking forward to the coming week and the work you will be doing every Monday? Many people may recognize this. But if your employees lack fun in their work, it can cause problems within the team. As a manager, you want your employees to enjoy their work. And they can! You should stimulate and increase job satisfaction, it's really not at all as difficult as you think...

Fun in general is one of the most powerful human emotions. People are intrinsically always looking for fun, and it can create powerful connections. Consider this comparison: in a football team that performs well, everyone (plus the supporters) is at their best. Success stimulates pleasure. Vice versa, that feeling can lead to new successes. And you can also achieve this in your organization.

When one person scores, everyone wins

If you increase job satisfaction, you create connections between colleagues in new ways and allow your entire team to win again. You need this flow within your team for that:

1. Harmony

Every team, whether in football or in an organization, needs harmony. This means that each member of the team has specific qualities or knowledge that you must use in the best possible way. If each member has their own role within the team, synergy and harmony are created. That is nice to see!

2. Impact

Once you have achieved this harmony, the impact of that harmonious team will follow naturally. When a great goal is achieved again, the whole team is enthusiastic about it.

3. Recognition

It is then up to you as a manager or team leader to ensure recognition. Not only for those who took the win, but also for those who made it possible. If one person on the team scores, everyone wins.

Why is job satisfaction important?

Do you see in your organization that the employee happiness trend could use an extra push? Then one of the best aspects to focus on is to increase job satisfaction. If employees experience job satisfaction, they work harder, stay with the organization longer and care more about the organization. This is not only important for your employees themselves, but also has many positive side effects for your organization.

Which factors influence job satisfaction, and how can you ensure that your employees get a boost? Interest in the work is one thing, but that does not say everything. There are many more underlying motives that allow you to easily increase job satisfaction within your team.

Define core values

What are the core values of your team or organization? Are your employees aware of this and do they recognize themselves in those values? It's important to create and maintain a culture that everyone can feel comfortable with. Employees will then feel more at home within the team.

So, together with your team, draw up a number of core values that are important to you. Think of:

• We are honest and open
• Sustainability is important to us
  
• We trust each other

What do you show with this? That work is not about the individual, but about the bigger picture. With this you increase the team spirit and therefore also the job satisfaction.

Relaxation at work

Work should be fun, but there should also be plenty of opportunity for relaxation inbetween. At 2DAYSMOOD, for example, we like doing ping pong competitions during the break and we do online quizzes or escape games once a month. Having moments in which employees can let go increases the energy for the work that comes afterwards.

Whether at home or at the office - make sure there is a place to relax. For example, create a Zoom link where you can always chat. Or set up a ping-pong table in the office! 😊

Personal development

Having the same job for 10 years, could you do it yourself? Probably not (unless you absolutely love what you do). You keep work fun by making it challenging. Personal development comes into play here. Offer your employees enough opportunities to take up new projects where they can discover or develop a different side of their knowledge and skills. Oftentimes you achieve even more with this in terms of job satisfaction than increasing wages!

Ask your employees these questions:

• Do you get everything out of yourself? Is that important to you? What do you need for that?
• How do you learn in the workplace / in your daily work? Give an example.
• What is your greatest talent? Can you apply that sufficiently in your work? Please explain.
• Would you like to take the next step in your career? Are there career opportunities for you now?

Focus on energy providers

Enjoying your work often gives energy. But the other way around is actually the same. If you are working with a lot of energy, you can increase job satisfaction. So make sure that every employee has clear for themselves what gives them energy.

To do this, you can stimulate your employees with these questions:

• What brings a smile to your face when it comes to your job?
• Do you like your job? Please explain.
• What does your work mean to you?
• What do you think is the best challenge in your work?
• During your work day, what gives you positive feelings?

Keep measuring the positive trend

If you apply these tips to your team or organization, you will likely see a positive trend in job satisfaction. And now you still have to keep it rising! By doing regular and continuous measurements, you know whether you are still on the right track or whether you need to make some adjustments at times. And in doing so, you give your employees the opportunity to provide continuous feedback and to think along about the process. That involvement also has a positive effect on job satisfaction!

Increase job satisfaction: it's a priority!

The message is clear: it must be a priority to increase job satisfaction in your organization. Not only for the performance of your team or organization, but also for the well-being of your employees. Because who doesn't like going to work with fun? Everyone should be able to have that!

Do you want to know more about how to increase job satisfaction? Then look here and start measuring with the 15-second survey from 2DAYSMOOD. Fast, simple and fun!