Different employers abide by different rules when it comes to getting the most out of their workforce, but all would agree that a happy team works best. After all, whether your business is sales, manufacturing or recruitment, demotivated staff are unlikely to attain the results you desire - particularly in a customer-facing environment.

Short of doling out bumper pay rises, what can employers do to engender positivity in the workplace? One option would be to review their employee benefits scheme. This is the sort of provision that can, for example, provide discounted gym membership, employee assistance programmes,  pay for lunches for top achievers, and in some cases grant employees bonuses such as a paid holiday on their birthday.

Some managers will laugh derisively at such a proposition, insist that their workers are already adequately remunerated.  Psychologists, however, have a different take on the matter. Studies have shown that ‘happier’ employees tend to be superior decision makers, show better interpersonal skills and even receive higher pay than their malcontent counterparts. In their book Raving Fans, Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles also noted that happier employees take less sick days.

That alone should be enough to convince employers who are staunchly refusing to grant any such concessions. And that’s not even taking into account the effort level of said employees. Individuals who are more content in their job have been shown to demonstrate increased effort and commitment to their superiors. According to Kansas State University researcher Thomas Wright, 10% of the variance in job performance is associated with the individual’s psychological wellbeing.

In sales-driven environments, meanwhile, the manner and presentation of staff is essential in building up customer trust. That alone should be enough reason for employers to go strive to keep their workforce upbeat and motivated.

Of course, benefits themselves don’t necessarily make employees happy people. While sectors such as finance and IT reward their workforce with pensions, health insurance and such gratuities as season ticket loans, it is these professions which constitute the ‘relegation zone’ in a list of 18 sectors when it comes to ‘work-life’ balance. In short, they enjoy substantial benefits, but don’t have time to enjoy or benefit from them.

So what’s the answer? A four-day week would certainly raise smiles, but might not do the global economy too many favours. Alternatively, employers could take a leaf out of Google’s book and offer free meals and an on-site swimming spa. Would such measures raise morale and promote teamwork? Absolutely. Would the teamwork primarily comprise tandem cannonballs into the aforementioned spa? Probably.

Keeping staff happy isn’t just down to employers, but they should be the first people to know when a team member is feeling undervalued, aggrieved, fatigued or otherwise dissatisfied. Making your organisation a supportive one, whether it be through tailoring benefits schemes, organising fun days, or even just lending an ear, could be the best move you make in the New Year. Employers can’t remedy every umbrage. They can, however, be there: and often, that’s all that is needed to turn harried staffers into happy ones.