Measuring employee mood and satisfaction is essential to understanding the atmosphere and well-being in an organization. Traditionally, surveys and questionnaires were the common methods, but today there is a faster and more efficient way: mood measurements. In as little as 15 seconds, these measurements can offer unique insights. In this blog, you’ll discover exactly what a mood measurement entails, why it’s important to measure employee mood and how to conduct it.
What is a mood measurement?
A mood measurement is an instrument used to measure the mood, emotional state or well-being of individuals. It is primarily used in organizations to understand employee mood and satisfaction. Questionnaires or rating scales can be used to evaluate feelings such as happiness, sadness, anxiety, stress and satisfaction. These measurements provide valuable information that can help in making decisions, identifying problems and promoting employee well-being and engagement.
One advantage of a mood measurement is that it offers the ability to gain unique insights in a very short time, sometimes as little as 15 seconds. By using concise and direct questions or rating scales, employees can quickly indicate their mood without having to spend much time on extensive surveys. This makes it efficient and practical to conduct regular and frequent mood surveys, allowing organizations to respond quickly to changes in employee mood and needs.
What does employee mood mean?
Employee mood refers to an employee’s overall emotional state or affective experience at work. It includes the range of emotions an employee may feel, such as happiness, satisfaction, enthusiasm, frustration or stress. Employee mood can have a significant impact on job satisfaction, performance and overall well-being.
Why measuring mood is important
Employee mood has a significant impact on employee engagement, which refers to an employee’s level of enthusiasm, commitment and involvement in their work. Positive employee mood promotes higher levels of engagement, which leads to higher productivity, job satisfaction and commitment to the organization. A study by Harter, Schmidt, & Hayes (2002) found that employees who reported high job satisfaction and commitment were 37% more likely to perform above average. In addition, engaged employees were more likely to volunteer, come up with innovative ideas, and have lower turnover rates.
How do you conduct a mood measurement?
Several models and frameworks have been used to measure employee mood. A common approach is affective event theory (AET), which suggests that workplace events elicit emotional responses that then influence work attitudes and behavior. Researchers often use self-report measures, such as questionnaires or pulse surveys, to assess employee mood.
Questions you can ask to measure mood
The 5 best questions to measure employee mood:
(a) How would you rate your happiness level when you are at work?
- b) How would you rate your enjoyment of your work?
- c) How would you rate your stress level at work?
- d) How would you rate your satisfaction with your work?
- e) How is your motivation to perform well in your job?
These five questions were chosen because they cover different aspects of employees’ moods and represent a range of emotional states commonly experienced at work. By including statements about happiness, pleasure, stress, satisfaction and motivation, these questions provide a comprehensive assessment of an employee’s emotional well-being at work. In addition, they can be answered on a Likert scale, allowing respondents to indicate the degree to which they agree or disagree with each statement.
Learned: pulse surveys for mood measurement
With the Learned survey add-on, you can easily perform mood measurement and gather valuable insights about the atmosphere in your organization.
Practical tips to improve the employee’s mood:
- Foster a positive work environment: Create a workplace culture that emphasizes positivity, respect, and open communication. Encourage managers and employees to recognize and appreciate each other’s efforts and achievements. Promote teamwork and collaboration to enhance camaraderie among employees.
- Provide opportunities for professional development: Offer training programs, workshops, or opportunities for employees to enhance their skills and knowledge. Invest in their growth and development, as this can increase job satisfaction and motivation, leading to improved employee mood.
- Implement work-life balance initiatives: Recognize the importance of work-life balance and support employees in achieving it. Offer flexible working hours, remote work options, or family-friendly policies, where applicable. Encourage employees to take breaks and vacations to recharge and reduce stress.
- Regularly seek feedback and act upon it: Conduct employee surveys or feedback sessions to gather insights on employee satisfaction and concerns. Actively listen to employee feedback and take appropriate actions to address any issues or areas of improvement. This demonstrates that their opinions are valued and can positively impact employee mood.
- Promote employee well-being initiatives: Implement programs that prioritize employee well-being, such as wellness activities, mindfulness sessions, or access to mental health resources. Encourage healthy habits and provide support for managing stress. Demonstrating care for employee well-being contributes to a positive work environment and improves employee mood.
Sources of the journals and APA references:
- a) Harter, J. K., Schmidt, F. L., & Hayes, T. L. (2002). Business-unit-level relationship between employee satisfaction, employee engagement, and business outcomes: A meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87(2), 268–279. [Link to the article: https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.87.2.268]
