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Five Signs Of A Happy Employee & Five Signs Of An Unhappy Employee
by Heidi Davlin, Vice President of Einstein HR
August 12, 2008
I
n today's struggling economy, it's important to hold on to your greatest asset, your
employees. Recruiting and training the right employee can be an expensive and time-consuming task.
Retaining that employee during times of economic crisis is an investment in your company's future.
But how do you know if your current employees are happy? What can you do to make certain that you
keep them happy? Here are some indicators to determine who wants stay and who might be on their way
out the door.
Five Signs of a Happy Employee
Productivity
Happy employees are able to stay productive, even when the chips are down. Happy employees
continue to produce great work and results, allowing your company to continue moving forward even
if the rest of the world seems to be standing still.
Time Away
Happy employees do not take unscheduled vacation days. They do not call in sick unless it is
absolutely necessary. Happy employees enjoy coming to work and, more often than not, seem genuinely
pleased to be there. Everyone is entitled to an occasional bad day, but happy employees seem to
have “sanity days” less often.
Willingness to Help Others
When an employee feels secure in his/her position at work and is confident in his/her skill
set, that employee tends to find the time to reach out to other employees. Take a look around your
office. The employees that frequently offer to help with projects or company functions tend to be
the people with the most time and energy invested in the company. A good work environment is
important to them, and they are willing to roll up their sleeves and pitch in to make it that way.
Creativity
If your company frequently has brainstorming sessions, over time, it will become obvious who
your creative thinkers are. More often than not, those creative thinkers are also your happiest
employees. They are challenged in their jobs and are interested in helping the company grow and
become more successful. Their frequent input and new ideas show that they are invested in the
future of the company. Having their ideas recognized and used ads validates that investment and
encourages them to contribute even more.
Contagious Attitude
In a way that is neither obnoxious nor phony, happy employees seem to radiate a type of
positivity that is contagious. Their overall attitude conveys a sense of well-being and contentment
to the employees around them. In addition to job performance, this positivity helps employees
gain promotions and wins them the support of other employees during tough times.
Five Signs of an Unhappy Employee
On the other end of the happiness spectrum lives the "unhappy" employee. It's true that most
employees fall somewhere in the middle of the two. Yet, the unhappy employee is relatively easy to
spot. Here are some telltale signs to help you spot the unhappy staff members in your organization.
Productivity Begins to Slide
This is an easy sign to overlook given today's tough economic times; this is especially true
in a sales organization. However, it is imperative to know who is making the company money and who
is not. An employee who was a big time producer and is now dormant may be experiencing some kind of
slump - or maybe he/she is just unhappy. Take a look at his/her track record. How long has this
person been slacking off? Is this person repeatedly missing deadlines or sales goals? If the answer
is yes, it is time for the higher ups to have a closed-door meeting with this employee to evaluate
the situation.
Missing Work Frequently
We've all seen the signs; multiple days out for doctor appointments, several sick days taken
at the last minute, taking personal phone calls during the day. Either this person is chronically
ill, or he/she is looking for a new job. Document all absences and make sure that each is within
company guidelines. You don't want to make it impossible for your employees to take care of
personal issues. You do, however, want to maintain a strict enough policy so that slackers cannot
abuse your generosity. If this situation continues for more than a month, it is time for a closed
door meeting with this employee to address his/her frequent time out of work.
Poisonous Attitude
It is bad enough to watch an employee self-destruct, but it is even worse to watch the same
employee use his/her venom to poison the rest of your staff. If you notice that a specific employee
or group of employees is frequently negative, gossips about office issues, etc., it's time to
intervene; one bad apple really does spoil the bunch. Remind this employee of his/her job
responsibilities and find out what exactly is making this employee act in a poisonous way.
Sometimes personal issues are the root of the problem, but more often than not, this employees
issue stems from lack of communication.
Clock Watchers
Unhappy workers spend as little time at work as possible, to the point of coming in late and
leaving early. Additionally, they may stop attending office social functions or start sabotaging
friendships and working relationships with co-workers. While an employee is only required to work a
specific amount of hours, clock-watching is certainly symptomatic of an employee who is not
invested in his/her job.
Disengaged
Unhappy employees lack enthusiasm for the job. They are often more interested in office
politics than their performance objectives, and they often view the job only as a paycheck and
nothing more.
Last Word
Today's economic climate is tough for everyone. Company leaders are guarded in their
communications with their staff, making employees insecure in their positions. It is easy to
mistake this uneasiness with unhappiness, but it is imperative that employers be able to tell the
difference. Communicate with your staff on a regular basis. Open, honest dialogue is the best way
to secure loyalty and hard work when times are tough. If you see specific employee problems,
address them immediately and discreetly. Allow employees an opportunity to share their concerns
with you, and be honest about your observations of them. Clearing the air can often help both
employers and employees turn a potentially negative situation into an opportunity for personal and
professional growth.
Heidi Davlin is the vice president of Einstein HR, a full service HR outsourcing firm in Lawrenceville, Georgia.
