New research conducted by employee services provider Personal Group has revealed that almost half of UK workers are unhappy at their job, while 30 per cent of front-line employees never feel enthusiastic about work.
The research uncovers some concerning statistics, including that 35 per cent of workers would be happier with greater recognition in the workplace.
However, the survey has also shown that happy employees are 12 per cent more productive than those unhappy with their work situation. Clearly, there are improvements to be made if businesses are to benefit from happy, well-adjusted staff.
Managing director of DBI Furniture Solutions Nick Pollitt has commented on a major area that can be improved, and says, ‘More employers need to be recognising the varied and unique mix of personalities within their business, and start viewing them in a more human way.
‘There are so many personality traits within an office, but they can often get overlooked. This leads to individuals feeling unvalued and, at worst, dispensary.
‘It takes a few simple steps to prevent this from happening, and it begins with awareness. If there is a creative genius in the ranks, make your appreciation heard. Do you have a constantly positive presence? Thank them!’
Pollitt concludes, ‘Productivity has so much to do with employee engagement, recognition and praise. With these values in tow, your business should see the improvements almost immediately.’
In response to the research, and in line with their passion of making all workplaces enjoyable and productive, DBI Furniture Solutions has released a report with expert comment on the five must-have traits you need to have in the office.
1. Don’t worry, be happy
Positivity! Every office has that shining beacon of positivity, and some are lucky enough to have more than one. Again, this is something more employers should recognise. Happiness at work equals productivity; a brand new survey from employee services provider Personal Group proves that happy workers are 12 per cent more productive.
Happiness at work can be influenced by a number of factors, from pay to how the office itself is designed.
Commenting is Lee Biggins, founder and managing director of recruitment experts CV Library. Having helped countless professionals into their jobs, Lee is more than familiar with office personalities and what best influences a workplace:
‘Our research found that there are certain personality traits that UK professionals would most like to see in their colleagues. At the top of the list was positivity, with 48.1 per cent of workers rating this as the trait that they would like to see in their colleagues. This was followed by honesty (42.1 per cent), approachability (41.5 per cent) and a sense of humour (38.3 per cent).
‘What all of these traits have in common is a theme of openness and support. Clearly, UK workers want to find themselves in a workplace where people are able to express their opinions without fear of unjust negativity.’
From Lee’s experience, positivity is almost an ‘umbrella’ trait which envelops related aspects:
‘Being positive in the workplace can only help breed success across the workforce. Alongside this, being honest and approachable means that co-workers are happy and confident to approach you with new ideas as well as any concerns they may have.
‘Finally, a sense of humour is highly desirable; while we of course all need to knuckle down and work hard, being able to have a laugh with your colleagues is just as important to help maintain morale within the workplace.’
2. Creativity is unique
Our minds work differently, and we often approach problems from different angles – this is all to do with creativity. Creative minds are best creativeput to use in collaboration with others, as ideas bounce off one another and become industry-leading campaigns (or are retired to the wastepaper bin, as some are).
Because, while success might be reflected in profit margins and ROIs, they only exist because of brave, bold ideas. Good ideation processes will always uncover the creative minds of your workplace, so employers should be taking the time to engender a positive, creative environment in order for talent to flourish.
Speaking here is David Ingram, managing director of digital marketing agency Bring Digital. According to David, a well-executed brainstorm session encourages an open playing field where all suggestions are welcome to the table:
‘We’ve created a brainstorm process that works brilliantly for all personality types; with a transparent platform through which people can come forward with ideas, and contribute to others.
‘Creativity in the office translates into so many different areas. It can mean looking at a problem from a unique perspective, or taking an idea in the opposite direction. I can’t think of a business, especially in digital, that wouldn’t benefit from such a trait.’
3. We all appreciate punctuality
Being on time is an understated, often-overlooked aspect which gets far less credit than deserved. It goes for anything – coming into work on time, delivering tasks and respecting deadlines.
If your business is reliant on timing, then this can be even more important. Working in digital, for example, may require you to provide reactive comment on industry developments or events in the media.
It’s not only important within the team, it’s great for meeting clients and ensuring that you make a good impression at job interviews.
4. Let’s not forget about integrity
Integrity relates to so much with in the workplace; have you ever taken credit for someone else’s work? Maybe you’ve witnessed something untoward but have neglected to tell anyone.
Honesty and trust are central to integrity, and its ethical foundations within work must not be underestimated. It is also closely aligned to passion – how much you know about your industry depends on the amount of work you have put in and your genuine interest in the business.
Commenting is Marcus Franck, founder of startup business Franck Energy:
‘For me, the most desirable trait of a co-worker is integrity. When we’re looking for new team members at Franck Energy, we look for people that are genuinely passionate about environmental issues and understand the context in which we work.
‘I don’t mind if a co-worker isn’t completely clued-up on a certain topic, but genuine honesty and curiosity goes a long way.’
5. Passion pays
Having a passion for what you do is crucial, not only for personal fulfillment (everyone wants to enjoy what they do) but career advancement, too. Whatever industry you are in, a love of the business will stand you in good stead for success.
Maybe you are a design-head, and live for creating websites. Have you always had a way with words? Copywriting should be right (or, write?) up your street. Either way, passion is a list-topping priority for most recruiters and is most certainly something fellow colleagues will want to see.
To get more information, we spoke with Craig Hall, operations director at digital marketing agency Glass Digital. According to Craig, passion is a powerful personality trait to possess:
‘Digital marketing is a young industry, so it can be difficult to hire experienced staff. That’s why we place huge emphasis on the right personality traits when hiring. The most important thing is passion and focus, as a lack of enthusiasm often translates into poor productivity.’
This is not just passion for the business, either. Passion for self-improvement, pro-active goal setting and practicing your craft is a brilliant byproduct of passionate employees.
‘We also look out for people who are fast learners, because best practice is constantly changing in our industry. For the same reason, staff must be able to identify their own weaknesses and have the desire to develop their own knowledge and skills.’
Further reading on valuing your employees
