When we started The Hire, our main goal was to raise the bar in the industry and focus on treating people like people, not as transactions. We wanted to stand out among the thousands of staffing companies in the country and also impact our local community and the organizations that serve it.
After 3 years in business, we decided it was time to find a way to measure the impact we have had to date. Thus, The Happiness Index was born as our first milestone along the way.
In early 2021, we started working with the Social Enterprise Greenhouse (SEG) to devise a way to measure and quantify our efforts. SEG serves social enterprises that strive to deliver both social and financial impact. They focus on improvements in access to educational opportunities, training and employment, healthcare, financial services, healthy food, basic human needs, affordable housing, and a safe and healthy environment. Their influence and support have been instrumental in bringing our vision to fruition.
WHY Happiness?
Studies show that most people aren’t happy at work. They also show that when people are happy at work, they are more productive, engaged and inspired. Ultimately, our customers and candidates want the same thing – happiness, whether its reduced turnover, improved efficiency, bigger profits or hitting goals, its “happiness” for everyone. We believe that focusing on this and putting people at the center of all that we do has been our differentiator. Because happy people and happy workplaces make happier communities.
WHAT does Happiness mean to us?
The Hire tracks employee happiness by aggregating four standards for each individual:
- Satisfaction with the job – feeling a sense of purpose and pride in value they provide
- Fulfillment in the organizational culture and their individual and group relationships, and
- Satisfaction with compensation and benefits
- Career path opportunities for growth within the organization
The Happiness Index is a tool we have developed to measure the happiness of organizations through the lens of your new hires.
Onboarding is a vital time for an employer to demonstrate their investment in employees and help them feel supported. In fact, according to a recent survey by Bamboo HR, “Employees who felt their onboarding was highly effective were 48 times more likely to feel highly supported by their organization.” Furthermore, “Employees who felt their onboarding was highly effective were 18 times more likely to feel highly committed to their organization.”
Employees who feel supported are more likely to be engaged and to stay with the organization. That long-term commitment yields higher quality work and more effective working relationships. So, not only does effective onboarding improve retention, it improves retention of those who care about generating value – which keeps morale positive. And we all know the short, and long, term amplifying impact of low morale.
HOW are we quantifying Happiness?
The Index is The Hire’s attempt at quantifying the value of happiness in organizations. This includes its effect on client relationships, productivity, innovation, and profit. Research shows that satisfied employees are more productive and profitable. The result is an organization with less turnover, higher engagement levels, and happier clients. There are individual benefits to being satisfied at work as well. Studies show employees who feel engaged are more likely to be productive, optimistic, creative, healthy, and even live longer than those who don’t. This isn’t just true for people in high-powered jobs. It’s true for everyone. But it needs to start from Day 1 of the relationship. Not post-hire BUT pre-Interview.
Over the next few weeks, we will share our initial results and give our followers insight as to where the disconnects are between the employee and the employer, and The Hire’s ability to help close that gap.