South Wales business owners are being encouraged to make a new year’s resolution – and to put their employees’ happiness at the heart of it!

Counsellor Lynette Evans, who runs The Listening Helper, works with businesses to help them transform staff sickness levels, productivity and positivity. According to Lynette, many of us make new year’s resolutions in our personal lives but not so often on a professional level – and yet making small investments in staff happiness could have a huge impact on your bottom line.

“Employee’s often find themselves struggling with life issues impacting upon their work, and work issues impacting upon their life, which can lead to stress, mental health issues and long term sickness absences,” says Lynette. “By investing in each employee’s wellbeing, businesses can show their staff that they value the contribution of each individual, which can energise the workforce as a whole and increase their performance.”

The benefits of a happy workforce are widely known, including increased productivity and creativity and better staff retention. Sandwich chain Pret a Manger’s sales growth of 15% year on year has been attributed to its cheerful staff, with its training academy even known as ‘the Happy Factory’!

Lynette works with a number of large UK companies, as well as SMEs and charities, to help employees tackle conditions such as stress, anxiety and depression and to reduce staff sickness rates.

“People naturally want to be happy, but happiness is an inside job,” she says. “I love helping businesses to support their staff, engage with them and enable them to be happier at work. Staff appreciate being listened to whilst the business gains on a number of levels – it’s a win-win situation!”

Lynette works with business owners from Newport to Carmarthenshire and is also available for staff Skype sessions. To find out more, visit www.thelisteninghelper.co.uk or contact Lynette on 07720 849263.