In today’s post we discuss the results of the latest Gallup poll on the happiest and healthiest US states. We explain what companies need to do in order to ensure that they have a healthy and happy workforce, no matter where they are located.
The Gallup’s new ranking of the happiest and unhappiest states in the US in 2014 had some interesting findings. Surprisingly, the coldest state Alaska nabbed the top spot for well-being according to the annual poll. In stark contrast, West Virginia was ranked the unhappiest state for the sixth year in a row. Hawaii and South Dakota came in second and third place. The rankings were released on Thursday, February 19, 2015. They are based on over 176,000 phone interviews with citizens in all states. The Index not only measures how people feel about and experience their daily lives, but also looks at their health across five categories: purpose, social, financial, community and physical. Dan Witters, research director of the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index explained why Alaskans are the happiest and healthiest people; “They do a lot of the blocking and tackling, as far as taking care of themselves and making good choices, but also demonstrating good holistic well-being in ways that extend beyond the conventional physical wellness.”
All businesses nowadays, no matter where they are based, are investing time and money in making sure that their employees are happy and healthy in order to reduce staff turnover. Large companies such as Airbnb, Google and Intel are encouraging global workplace health and happiness, which has resulted in a sharp increase in worker productivity. For example, Airbnb offers their employees healthy breakfasts and snacks as well as yoga days and free massages. All three companies provide their employees with clear opportunities for career advancement and recognize their achievements. Globoforce, which was voted the Best Place to Work in Europe in 2014, is the leading company in employee recognition through their unique reward schemes. Their solutions have been proven to drive employee engagement, employee retention and corporate culture. Walmart, which has as high as 70% staff turnover, was recently forced to change its controversial work policies. The retailer announced that not only would it increase wages for a half-million employees, but also that it is working to improve its sick-leave policy and benefits and make it easier for employees to advance within the company.
I have worked with many insurance agency owners throughout the years and have seen that a healthy and motivated workforce is an important asset when it comes to selling their business. It shows how successful the company is when it is able to retain its staff for so many years. It is also rewarding when a talented and committed employee is chosen to take over the reins of the business in the case of an internal penetration. Whether or not your insurance agency is based in the top three happiest and healthiest states does not ensure that you will have a thriving workforce. Investing time and energy in researching how best to meet your employees’ needs is the best means of achieving a motivated and productive workforce.
Sit back and think about your workforce. Are they motivated and engaged? Are they focused on the success of the agency? Do they share in the agencies success? Interestingly, I would assess the tenure of the employees. Are they long term employees because they love the company or because they aren’t motivated to improve their situation? We would much rather see an inexperienced, but motivated staff than one that has become stale.
