By Eghosa Aihie
What makes a happy startup? High salaries? Fringe benefits? Less workload?
Simply put, these are places that harbor a culture of happiness for employers and employees alike. The culture of happiness can be described as one where a person’s mental and physical health takes precedence over work — where failure is welcomed with support and guidance, work is considered something enjoyable and worthwhile, and each person feels a sense of belonging to the company.
While what has been described above might feel nothing like a workplace, that is exactly what happy workplaces look like. Such organizations realize the value of the spirit of joy, appreciation and gratitude. They realize how keeping workers happy can improve productivity manifold, and hence strive to create an environment that is conducive to healthy minds and spirits.
Moving on to the question of why – why is it that happy startups are successful at what they do?
Happiness is a cure for stress.
"All work and no play make Jack a dull boy." So goes the idiom to describe how workplaces that aren’t "happy" can take a toll on a person’s capabilities. Being stressed at all times and being overburdened with work every day in the office is sure to strain the mind and body. Workplaces that ensure that workers are given time to relax in between their tasks takes the extra stress off their employees. The work culture at Athena Technologies, where I serve as an advisor, more resembles a family than a definite work environment. Motivation is incurred through values and mutual goals. An official yearly vacation trip is organized by the management, and festivals and events are cordially celebrated. A jovial environment during work provides increased motivation and helps them perform better.
There's opportunity for personal growth.
Employees are not just people working to deliver on the tasks set for them. They are an asset to an organization as they essentially drive the operations of the business. Thus, it is important to provide them with an environment that is conducive to their growth. Workplaces that value employees’ personal growth and development creates an incentive for employees to stick with the organization. During Athena’s incubation cycles, I have come to conclude that employers overburdening their employees tend to see an exceptionally high turnover rate than those who reduce the workload respective to the time required. In its initial stages, a high turnover rate is an expensive cost every startup struggles to avoid. Since employees benefit from the experience and opportunities being provided, they give their best to make the most of what they receive. This benefits the firm through improved results.
There is always room to improve.
Another characteristic of happy organizations is that errors or mistakes are not looked down upon, but are dealt with support and guidance. A change in plans, if deemed necessary, is encouraged as it allows the business to improve. Organizations that harbor such an environment makes their employees empowered by allowing them the room to take the lead and to even fail. They are encouraged to learn from their failures and improve for the next time. Such an attitude prompts employees to work at their best potential without the fear of failure bearing down on them.
Looked at collectively, what happy startups essentially do is keep their employees happy so that they are able to perform at their fullest potential. When employees are kept happy through an environment that values their capabilities and allows room for them to grow, it incentivizes employees to perform well and at their best capacities. For an organization, this means improved products and services and increased customer satisfaction.
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Eghosa Aihie is the Founder and CEO at Donorkey Inc and Executive Board Member at Athena Technologies.