Working with pleasure: that's what everyone wants. Research shows that there are five factors that play a role in this. At Logres, we see that well-functioning ERP system can contribute to job happiness.

This week is Work Happiness Week and numerous companies are paying attention to this by organizing activities around this theme. However: employees obviously do not benefit from a week of attention to this topic without real structural changes in the workplace.

At Logres, we often see that one of the most fundamental changes that contributes to job happiness is the renewal of the ERP package. Sure: the implementation phase can be quite difficult and require a lot from you and your employees. But once the system is up and running, no one wants to go back. Here's why.

The five factors

The most important factor for job happiness is personal contact with colleagues and supervisors. Often, however, contact in the workplace is centered on getting or bringing information and therefore has no personal character. A good ERP system ensures that relevant information is easily accessible to everyone. In practice, this does not mean that colleagues speak to each other less as a result, but it does mean that conversations do not always have to be work-related.

Work happiness also depends on appreciation from supervisors and other colleagues. No one likes working in an environment where his or her contribution to the company is hardly noticed, if at all. An ERP system ensures that everyone's contribution is clearly visible and traceable. No manager has to wonder anymore what Henk actually does in his office all day. In this way, an ERP system can also indirectly contribute to appreciation.

Freedom is another important factor for job happiness. We mean: the freedom to organize the day as you wish and to influence the content of your work. A good ERP system initially seems to do the opposite: namely, it gives more structure to a working day and helps people to perform certain tasks at certain fixed times.

However: everyone who raises children knows that rhythm, regularity and structure are often the basis for personal happiness. In the workplace it is exactly the same: overview and structure ensure personal freedom within certain frameworks. In other words: if you know what is expected of you, you also see where you can take the space to arrange your work as you wish.

Meaningfulness is the fourth factor of job happiness. This is not so much spiritual meaning as doing meaningful work. After all, the larger a company, the less clear it often is to the employee why he has to do what he does. However, an ERP system ensures that everyone's contribution to the whole becomes clear. That also increases the understanding of what your contribution adds to the final product. For example, you can see how other colleagues pick up and complete your preparatory work. That helps greatly in experiencing meaning.

The final factor of job happiness is personal development. This involves the opportunity to grow or learn more and have more responsibility within your company. An ERP system does not contribute much to this. However, the structure of an organization is much clearer than it would be without an ERP system, giving employees more insight into everyone's tasks and responsibilities. As a result, managerial positions seem more attainable and it is also clearer where knowledge is lacking and specialization might be needed.

Want to learn more about how an ERP system can contribute to the functioning of your business? Get in touch with us. We would be happy to tell you more!