The Scottish Mail on Sunday

Happy in your job? Lord Price needs to know...

- By Simon Watkins

FORMER Waitrose boss Lord Price is launching a global survey on workplace happiness in a bid to boost productivi­ty in British firms and to understand rising public discontent with business and capitalism.

The online survey has already launched in Britain and has collected responses from 3,500 employees across the country. Price said he plans to reveal the initial findings in a speech at the Hay literary festival in Hay-on-Wye, Powys, next week.

The survey’s website, measuring workplace happiness.com, will be rolled out in 79 other countries in the coming months to find out what makes employees happy in their work around the world and where Britain stands in global rankings.

Price left Waitrose last year and took up a place in the House of Lords, becoming a Trade Minister. He said the website was sparked by research for his book, Fairness For All, which was published last month. It looked at why large numbers of people worldwide had turned against free trade and capitalism.

He also argues that happiness at work may be the key to the UK economy’s current low productivi­ty.

‘Our productivi­ty is very low. We are the lowest for productivi­ty in the G7 countries and 17 per cent below the average. I do think having a happy and engaged workforce helps and will also mitigate against some of the feelings that people have about fairness.’ The survey is free to use and as well as assessing how content people are in work will offer further surveys on personalit­y to guide employees in their career choices.

A separate survey system is being offered to companies to enable them to see how happy their staff are and take action if things are heading in the wrong direction.

The service for companies is charged, though Price said that it was far less expensive than the fees usually charged by consultanc­ies and all profits would be donated to charity.

 ??  ?? SURVEY: Lord Price plans to lift productivi­ty
SURVEY: Lord Price plans to lift productivi­ty

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom