Creating a congenial workplace and happy workers is something that most employers at least say they are attempting to do. The real question is- do the various program designed by HR to create happier and more engaged employees actually work to improve the bottom line? Simply stated, is there a real link between happy workers and higher profits? The answer is yes. There is a growing body of research that makes a compelling case that there is high return on investment when the investment is made in employees. The current issue of Harvard Business Review, which includes a series of articles focused on employee happiness, is just one example of the growing recognition that happy, engaged employees are more productive and generate better outcomes for their companies.
The challenge is not to focus just on making employees happy but to create a sense of worth and to help employees understand how their contributions matter. Here are four key area to focus on according to “Creating Sustainable Performance” by Gretchen Spreitzer and Christine Porath (Harvard Business Review, January-February 2012).

• Allow employees at all levels to make decisions, giving them a sense of control.
• Let employees know how their contribution fits into the organization as a whole.
• Hire for civility – employees in a hostile environment are likely to narrow their focus to avoid risks.
• Give feedback regularly to remove all uncertainty about performance and keep people focused.