When Employees are Happy, Everyone's Happy!

You know the saying, "When mama's happy, everyone's happy." Of course, what we're really saying is exactly the opposite: When mama is NOT happy, somehow this unhappiness has a way of trickling down to everyone else in the family.

Think about your staff team. Are they a happy group, for the most part? Have you noticed how their happiness - or lack there of - filters down to everyone else in the building?

Enough research has been done to put it into fact: satisfied (happy) employees have a direct effect on the quality of care, the quality of resident life and business success of the company. Now you're talking not only about staff and resident happiness, but the happiness of the owners and investors - a pretty important factor to consider.

Seems like we'd better pay close attention to what can increase employee happiness, doesn't it? Fortunately, we've got some good research-based information to help us reach that goal.

My Innerview surveyed over 100,000 employees working in nursing homes in the U.S. a couple of years ago. What they found may surprise you: The top two things on the list of what affects employee satisfaction are pretty much up to you. Here's what employees said made the most difference to them:

1) Management who cares about me
2) Management who listens to me

You're probably not destined to stay in management long in senior care if you don't truly care about your team. But do you show it? Do you communicate it clearly? Do you actively listen to employees?

If you do, I'm guessing that mama's happy, and everyone's happy at your "house" today!