The pull and tug of managing employees’ happiness is like a game of blackjack. As the metaphorical dealers, employers carefully scrutinize what’s on the table and hedge their bets accordingly. They must satisfy the bottom line while retaining the best and brightest around. At the same time, workers don’t want to settle for a low hand. But demanding too much may get them axed.

Who wins after the cards are dealt? On the employee side, the Harvard Business Review wagers its chips on the upbeat crew [source: Fleischauer]. The team players who contribute cheerfully around the office have the greatest chances of surviving lay-offs.

Managing employees’ happiness can feel like a game of blackjack.

The following 10 tips illustrate that making employees happy usually doesn’t include dollar signs, either. Rather, it’s intangible incentives that produce the concrete results. Read more at health.howstuffworks.com