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How Does Happiness at Work Relate to Productivity?

By Javier Cardona - 1DOC3
CEO

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By Javier Cardona | CEO - Fri, 12/17/2021 - 09:12

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In a world where a pandemic has changed the way work is done in different sectors, productivity, happiness at work, and comfort have become permanent needs for every worker and primary responsibilities for employers.

Although human talent has always been mentioned as the main asset of any organization, the last two years have been fundamental in strengthening the idea of emotional pay, turning small changes into big movements. Flexible working hours, psychological and emotional support, the use of technology, and empathy are all factors that have begun to be addressed within the well-being and organizational culture.

Why are they so important in the working environment? Because employees' productivity, and thus their profitability, depends on peace of mind. Taking advantage of remote working, for example, to avoid unnecessary commuting, traffic stress, airfare, or gas is a simple initiative that our employees appreciate.

A Reuters study indicated that one in five workers in the world work from home, with Asia, Latin America, and much of the East playing a leading role.

This study also revealed that Mexico, with 30 percent, is the second country in the world with the most teleworkers, surpassed only by India with 34 percent. This sheds light on the benefits of this way of working in Latin countries, with entrepreneurs emerging every day and with innovative ideas that need more than a physical place to sell or produce; a methodology that allows them to make the most of digitalization and technology to produce excellent results.

Well-being at work has a major influence on all other aspects of a person's life: If you suffer from stress, fatigue, depression, or anxiety at work, you are more likely to have problems related to interpersonal relationships and to suffer from some physical discomfort.

Attention to the mental health of our employees is synonymous with productivity.

Conversations about mental health should become more common in the workplace and prevention should be a priority for any human resources department. Looking at the numbers, an article in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine reports that 86 percent of employees reported better job performance and less absenteeism after receiving treatment for depression.

The same article mentions that the costs of treating patients with specific comorbid mental health disorders can be two to three times more expensive than with patients without comorbid problems. For example, there is a high prevalence of depression in patients with asthma (45 percent) and diabetes (27 percent).

It's not just about looking after the rising numbers incorporating healthcare costs; it's about identifying the benefits of looking after our employees with timely care.

If we want to be stricter about costs, there are other expenses to be taken into account when talking about a "sick associate," among them we should mention expenses generated by:

  • Delay of processes
  • Omission of actions
  • Medium- and long-term disabilities
  • Overworking feelings
  • Underperformance
  • Use of additional staff to carry out tasks assigned to others
  • Recruitment of staff

Business leaders have turned our efforts to creating corporate welfare alternatives that present a new or better face of an organization for both external and internal customers. In the market, it is no longer only a good product or a good service that is evaluated; users have deeper interests when it comes to trusting a company.

The social impact of ill health in the US was more than US$210 billion in 2010 and is expected to increase to US$6 trillion by 2030, according to the study published in JOEM.

How can emotional and physical well-being be promoted in a company?

Talking about mental health not as a taboo but as something necessary and inherent to our lives and promoting healthy habits are two fundamental actions to achieve this goal. Including some methods of monitoring and accompaniment and perhaps finding an expert ally to get involved in the care of your associates can be a great idea

Different technological platforms provide a complete health access service to different organizations and their employees, carrying out not only the required periodic medical examinations but also a complete personalized accompaniment according to the needs of each employee.

Technology can be everyone's best friend if we use it correctly. 1DOC3, for example, is the largest healthtech in Latin America, with a telemedicine platform that allows your employees to have consultations with doctors, psychologists and nutritionists 24 hours a day, seven days a week without moving from where they are, eliminating travel time and reducing any type of cost. The service’s benefits also extend to five family members or friends, which means that as a company we are not just bringing health and wellness to our employees but to their environment.

But other actions can be taken that are rewarding for the leaders of the organization who see the happiness of our workers reflected in these changes:

  • Generate social environments where there are more opportunities to interact with others
  • Clearly define the responsibilities and roles of each person within the organization
  • Check that the workload is compatible with the worker's role, skills, and resources
  • Encourage participation in projects and the generation of ideas
  • Create activities or dynamics that make it easier to stay in the company
  • Flexible working hours and the possibility of permanent teleworking

The most important factor to generate good results in your company is to increase the productivity of your employees, and this can only be achieved with a healthy working environment in which the skills and knowledge of each employee can be developed without major problems and all this through small actions that protect and promote their happiness, well-being, and health. In short, to allow your employees to say: I love my job.

Photo by:   Javier Cardona

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