Bulletproof your Work Happiness
SECRETS OF LIFE AT BLACKLANE
Introduction
A recent article by Glassdoor had some bad news for employers:
- In 2015, 32% of U.S. workers were engaged with their jobs. World-wide, the numbers are worse. Only 11% of workers had job engagement.
- Fewer than half (49%) of employees would recommend their employer to a friend.
- 87% of organizations cite culture and engagement as one of their top challenges. 50% call the problem “very important.”
At the same time:
- 64% of new employees would rather make $40K a year at a job they love, than $100K a year at a job they think is boring.
There’s something wrong here. The majority of people want to be engaged at work. The problem is, they’re not.
What’s an employer to do? One of the first things is: Create a Great Work Experience for employees. How do you do that? At Blacklane, we have a few ideas — 10 specifically.
10 Steps to Bulletproof your Work Happiness
- Create uninterrupted time
- Take “smoke breaks”
- Focus your efforts
- Take a walk
- Interpret wisely
- Get clear priorities
- Ask and assert
- Reset
- Clear up Confusion
- Have a Home Plan
1. Create Uninterrupted Time
Most workplaces encourage multitasking: Sending e-mail, Instant Messaging, answering random questions. Research shows that multitasking causes error rates to increase upwards of 50%. And, when your brain switches contexts, it can take you twice as long to do things. Multitasking also increases stress. Stress negatively impacts thinking and reasoning.
- Shutdown email. Close IM. Have one tab open in your browser.
- Block out time on your calendar, so you won’t have meetings.
- Work where you won’t be interrupted, and you get can in a flow.
Each team at Blacklane has the autonomy to determine how they will make the best use of their time. Some teams, for example, reserve specific days for meetings. The rest of their week is uninterrupted work time. In addition, we have both open and secluded work-spaces. This way, people can collaborate, or work privately — whatever works well for them.
2. Take a Smoke Break
The smokers have something. But, you don’t need to smoke to benefit from it. Small, regular breaks with deep breathing help regulate stress. They break up the day, creating shifts in focus and engagement. These build on your brain’s desire for changing experiences. Take regular breaks. Try a little bit of deep breathing to reset yourself.
Blacklane encourages people not only to take regular breaks, but to socialize, and get out of the work-space for a bit. We created our social area as a place to unwind, connect, and reset. Play table tennis, or Foosball. Have a drink and chat. Make lunch with your teammates. Or, just relax.
3. Focus your Efforts
Know what you can control, and what you can’t. Focus your efforts on what you can do. Come to peace with what you can’t. You’re in control of your actions and responses. You can’t control someone else. When you focus on what you can do, you can take charge immediately, and see an immediate impact.
4. Take a Walk
Our brains evolved in an environment where we were moving all the time. Our brains evolved to learn and move together. In an ideal world, our best work would be done with everyone walking at about 1.8 miles per hour. Feeling stressed, or a bit fatigued? Maybe a short walk is just what you need.
5. Interpret Wisely
Strive for positive interpretations. Most people see themselves as the hero. If you’re seeing someone else as the enemy — how do you think they view themselves? Is there something you could be missing from their perspective? The more you view your co-workers and workplace in balance, the more you will enjoy work.
If you get angry, practice taking a timeout before you respond. Use one of the other tactics in this list. Take a walk. Go for a “smoke break”.
Good relationships are the cornerstone of Blacklane’s culture. It’s something we’re very proud of. It’s one of the reasons we believe so strongly in the Agile methodology — with its emphasis on the value of people and collaboration.
Most of our teams practice SCRUM. We’ve found that Retrospectives are an invaluable time for the team to reflect — and, sometimes, reset. They’re not just a time to talk about new ideas. They’re also a time to get clarity, ask questions, and work to resolve issues in the team.
6. Get Clear Priorities
Set or get clear priorities. If you have clear work priorities, you’re less likely to be task switching. You’ll have less unpredictability. Getting your priorities straight can also help if you’re feeling overwhelmed with tasks. If you don’t have clear priorities, work with your team or manager to define them.
7. Ask and Assert
Don’t be afraid to ask. Don’t be afraid to assert. You’re most productive when you have your needs met. If something is missing ask for it. If you get push back, and it’s impacting your ability to perform, have a conversation with your manager.
Every team member at Blacklane has regular 1:1 sessions with their manager. 1:1s are a time to give and get feedback. They’re a conversation. By giving and getting feedback on a regular basis, we:
- build trust,
- facilitate professional development,
- provide better transparency,
- address issues quickly,
- clarify high-level priorities, and
- find out about employee needs, and work together to meet them.
8. Reset
Things get out of hand sometimes. It happens. If you find yourself sinking no matter what you do, try a reset. Maybe, you lost your temper, or you’re feeling blocked. Stop what you’re doing. Start from the beginning. It’s not always the answer. But, when it is, that fresh start can often lead to an even better outcome.
Blacklane has a very strong learning culture. We believe that “failure” is just another way of saying “learning opportunity”. It’s OK to make mistakes. Everybody does it. We don’t shame someone for breaking the build, or introducing a bug. Instead, when something happens, we’ll take the time to learn from it — and we all benefit.
9. Clear up Confusion
It’s easy to misinterpret e-mails or texts. Misunderstandings can be confusing or, worse, stressful. This is especially true in a multicultural work environ-ment, like Blacklane. Often, the easiest way to get clear is to talk with someone directly. If your electronic communications are getting you down, go old school. Drop by and say hello.
10. Have a Home Plan
Don’t just manage stress at work. If you’re having a lot of stress at home, it’s going to spill over. Take the time you need to address issues at home. Don’t be afraid to let your boss know.
If you have good reason to be afraid of telling your boss — maybe you should switch jobs. (Speaking of which… We’re hiring!)
In Conclusion
At Blacklane, we’ve put a lot of thought into creating a positive work experience for our employees. Together, as partners, we’re creating a thriving culture. We believe strongly in the 10 Steps to Bulletproof your Work Happiness. We’ve found them incredibly valuable. We hope you do, too.
Notes:
According to the Gallop poll cited, “engagement” means: “those who are involved in, enthusiastic about and committed to their work and workplace.”
For more information on the research cited, see:
