Happiness matters. It really matters. In every aspect of our lives. And in the workplace most importantly.
Why? Because this is where we consume a great number of our life’s hours daily.
Research about happiness in the workplace has shown that happy workers are more creative and thus more productive. Which makes the team they belong to and the whole organization they work for, more profitable and raises their chances for growth.
However, when it comes down to happiness in the workplace, how can you feel happy at work, especially after the recent pandemic’s “crash” that is changing rapidly the working scene globally and is making the borders of personal and professional life more blurred than ever?
While raising, at the same time, the uncertainty and unpredictability around the jobs’ future? As you can see, these are some of the main factors that can make happiness in the workplace a difficult task.
Well, you will find out more if you stick to this article, because here you will not only learn about the importance of happiness in the workplace but also tips and tricks to attain it.
So, follow through!
Why Does Happiness In The Workplace Matter?
As already mentioned, feeling happy at work (meaning feeling content with what you do, taking pride in your accomplishments, experiencing joy from the acknowledgment of them, and being pleasant to be around) helps your whole business succeed and grow.
Statistics don’t lie and have proven that happiness in the workplace goes hand in hand with higher productivity, creativeness, and engagement with the business’s goals.
To be more precise, numbers state that companies with happy employees show better performance that results in around 20% increases in productivity, sales, and profitability.
If one-fifth of the business’s success is rendered on the staff’s happiness you can easily understand why it is important to invest in it and ensure it.
But let’s break into pieces these stats.
“If happiness is activity in accordance with excellence, it is reasonable that it should be in accordance with the highest excellence.”
-Aristotle
1. Happy people are healthier
Happy and optimistic people usually have better health. Which results in fewer absences from work due to health problems. It’s easy to see that for yourself.
Grumpy or anxious people tend to feel sick and unable to perform more often compared to joyful ones.
2. Happy workers are more productive
It’s true. If you are in good spirits you raise your chances of being more productive. What’s more, since happiness is contagious, a content employee can create a pleasant atmosphere, lure his colleagues into the mood and create happiness in the workplace.
3. Happy employees are more dependable
Optimistic employees and workers who are pleased with their work because they feel valued, recognized, and fairly paid, tend to stick with the business more and be more dependable than unhappy ones.
So, there you have it. Happiness in the workplace is a crucial success factor. It enhances creativity, productivity, and loyalty.
"Happiness is an expression of the soul in considered actions"
-Aristotle
How To Achieve Happiness In The Workplace?
Now that you grasped the importance of happiness at work, here is what you can do to achieve it. After all, happiness is not just an innate inclination of yours. It can be built with effort and persistence as it goes with everything in life. It all comes down to making a choice and supporting happiness in the workplace with a strong will.
If You Are A Team Leader:
If you happen to be the head of a department or a CEO in a company your role in creating a happy environment and having your staff feel content should and must be included in your tasks.
Leaders are not only responsible for outcomes but first and foremost for the people they are in charge of. So, if you hold the reins of any group of employees, regardless of its size here is what you can do to make them experience happiness in the workplace:
1. Make happiness a fundamental value
This doesn’t mean that everyone who engages with the business “must be happy” but rather cultivating a working atmosphere based on empathy, and effort to meet basic human needs like feeling included, respected, heard, recognized, and rewarded.
The people in charge must see to it first to achieve later better performance, results, and profits.
2. Being happy in charge
If you are a team leader start with yourself. You will be amazed by the impact your optimistic attitude can have on your team and your clients. This doesn’t mean being friends with them, but more like being open to discussion and active listening and having a transformational effect. It also means having a clear vision of the future along with measurable goals and an optimistic disposition about their fulfillment.
So, before starting to make requests or demands from your staff, begin with spreading happy vibes around the workplace and everyone else will join in.
3. Include happy projects
To enhance happiness in the workplace a good idea is to engage the workforce in “happy” projects parallel to their jobs. A short funny job-related video with your comment sent via your internal network for example can lift the spirits of your staff in seconds.
Organizing nights out with them, company parties, sports events – that promote benign competition, and even custom-made training that boosts the skills and talents of your employees are also good solutions. They enhance bonding and increase engagement with the company.
Another great post on the topic:
How To Achieve Happiness In The Workplace?
If You Are An Employee:
If, on the other hand, you happen to be an employee in your company, don’t think that you are excluded from the “happiness responsibility”. Not even by chance. You have your merit at the happiness project.
1. Accept the given circumstances
Maybe you don’t like your job. Or you are paid way less than what you think you deserve. Or some of your co-workers are a bit toxic and you have to put up with them daily.
Whatever the case, just accept and adjust. Acceptance brings peace of mind and having a peaceful mind can then help you find ways to make things better. But complaining, feeling self-pity, or swearing every morning for having to pass another day in that job won’t get you anywhere.
2. Decide to feel happy
Happiness at the workplace is a choice, my friend. So, if you find it difficult to feel happy when you arrive at your desk and switch on your PC turn the tables around and rewire your way of thinking. Start by recognizing the good stuff.
You get to have an income, insurance, a place to mingle with like-minded people, and a stage to perform and show to the world your talents.
A change of mindset can do wonders. And as you’ve already read, happiness is contagious. Change your spirits and soon you will transform your workspace.
And if you’re looking for inspiration to bring more positivity into your life, be sure to check out Stella’s Gratitude Journal, -click here. It’s beautifully designed with insightful prompts and inspiring quotes to elevate your life.
3. Work on your self-care
Happiness In The Workplace...
Your well-being is an essential pillar for your happiness in the workplace. So take some time to figure out what can make you happier while you are working.
A clean desk? Soft music while you are working on that project? A healthy lunch? Going for a run before arriving at the office? Having your hair done each week? Having a manicure?
Taking a lunch break at that trendy cafe down the road? Organizing your daily and weekly tasks with a digital planner? Taking up a lesson to expand your knowledge and feel more confident in a specific field?
You know better. So, find out your happiness boosters and stick to them.
Ready To Work Happily Ever After?
Happiness in the workplace matters. A lot. And it is not an option but rather a prerequisite that ensures your well-being and increases your chances for success.
This addresses everyone involved regardless of their position in the company’s hierarchy. However, sometimes it is not easy to make that “U” turn to start seeing the results.
And here is where I come into the scene. I can help you get there, comprehend deeply the importance of happiness in the workplace, what keeps you away from experiencing it, and how you can change the rules.
And guess what? I am only a free call away because you can contact me directly for a discovery call (free of charge!). Together we can uncover what keeps you stuck along with helpful tips and tricks to get you on that happiness chariot!
You can contact me directly for a discovery call.
click & Book your Discovery Call
Remember that happiness in the workplace is not an easy job, but somebody has to do it. So why not that somebody be you?
Take my word for it; it’s worth it!