America's happiest workplaces

Not one hospital. I wonder why....Hmmm. If we treat our people well; They'll treat our customer's well.

Makes a hell of a lot of sense to me.

I'm retired, but what I recall of workplaces (I've had several), is that happiness is fleeting. While sales are good, and the pressure is off, hey, everyone is happy. The picture can and will abruptly change.

Work is work. Happy or not, life is what we make of it. And I believed that above all else, and that philosophy kept my expectations within the bounds of reality. I was pleased to have a job. Anything more was a bonus.

A good work environment is driven by good management.

I have been in middle level management for 30 years. It is common knowledge workers will pick a good work environment over making a lot of money any day if given a choice; however, no one should have to make that choice to begin with. Companies should pay a fair wage and treat their employees as the valuable asset they are.

There is a problem where some companies promote people based on knowledge and how hard they work. Sure those are important factors, but not as important as noticing if that person also has good people and communication skills. Are they a "leader"? You can have the smartest person in the world on your team, but can he or she effectively lead their team and not rule the team. Can they be fair and honest? Are they able to observe, listen, show empathy and flexibility while also maintaining discipline and do it without micro managing?

A good manager will address issues with an employee who negatively affects chemistry in a group. It may be through coaching or it may be through termination, but it has to be dealt with. They make sure co-workers are cohesive and working toward common goals.

I believe in trickle down leadership. Go into a retail store or an establishment that has excellent customer service and people who give service with a smile, and I can guarantee it is because they have a good manager. Good managers come from good corporate leadership’s ability to identify those individuals. If you want to see a good company to work for, then start at the top and work your way down.

Here’s a quote which summarizes the subject, "A boss creates fear, a leader confidence. A boss fixes blame, a leader corrects mistakes. A boss knows all, a leader asks questions. A boss makes work drudgery, a leader makes it interesting. A boss is interested in himself or herself, a leader is interested in the group."   Russell H. Ewing