Employees are more likely to be happy at work if they have good friendships with their colleagues, a new survey has revealed.
In fact, having friends in the workplace is even more important than money, research by Chiumento HR consultancy found, with 73 per cent of respondents citing friendships compared to just 48 per cent who cited financial rewards.
Small businesses also tend to be more conducive to contentedness, as 86 per cent of employees at companies with 20 to 100 staff said they were happy at work, compared to 78 per cent at organisations with over 1,000 workers.
Chief executive Sarah Chiumento said that, although some organisations might question the relevance of employee happiness, workers who are content are more likely to be productive and perform well.
"Simple ways to boost happiness include treating staff fairly, ensuring communication is good and fostering a positive atmosphere in the workplace," she advised.
"The benefit to business is that employees will be likely to participate positively and contribute more."
The survey also found that women tend to be happier at work than men, with 82 per cent of females enjoying their job compared to 78 per cent of males.
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