Should We Really Care if Our Employees are Happy or Satisfied?

Howard Adler

Abstract

Should We Really Care if Our Employees are Happy or Satisfied? It is almost counterintuitive to think that a company should not care about whether its employees are happy. But does all the time and energy that companies spend measuring employee satisfaction and engagement really lead to higher levels of productivity, customer service and employee retention. Companies in the hospitality industry have long stated that people are their most precious resource. Is this done so that employers can be good corporate citizens who improve working conditions for their employees and thus the quality of life for their employees? Or is it done to make a profit. One approach is a very positive and proactive attitude towards HR while the other attitude could be called skeptical or reactive. However if we are honest, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

Relevant Publications in Journal of Business and Hotel Management