‘Happiness is worth more than money,’ finds report

Happy workers mean more money for the business. That’s the findings from a report which claims that friendship with colleagues makes workers happier than having more money.

Research by HR consultants Chiumento, based on interviews with 1000 adults, found that three out of four said good relationships with workmates was the main reason they enjoyed their job. Fewer than half of those questioned cited financial rewards.

The unhappier someone was at work, the more likely it was that they attributed their feelings to their salary level.

Sarah Chiumento, chief executive of Chiumento, said: "Organisations may question the relevance of employee happiness, but a happy worker is likely to be more productive and perform better than an unhappy employee.

"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 more likely to participate positively and contribute more."

A good boss, varied work and being part of a successful team also helped keep people happy, the study found.

Lack of management communication, ideas being ignored and lack of benefits were among complaints made by unhappy workers.

March 2007