True “Happiness”@Work

A thriving workforce is the foundation of a thriving business. It is no secret that people who are happier and satisfied in their lives tend to be more creative and productive, and are committed to their organization. Happiness at workplace is not just about the feeling of enjoyment, it is also an individual’s ability to handle setbacks, connect amicably with others and also working with a sense of ownership of what they do and knowing that what they do matters to themselves as well as to the organization. A happy workforce brings a considerable amount of benefits as they are likely to have better health and enjoy life more, build stronger relationships and have a greater purpose. Most organizations try to achieve this by creating a work culture that promotes health and well-being through every aspect of their lives as it contributes heavily to an individual’s involvement within a business.

There are various programs that support employee health and well-being at workplace. However, many organizations make the mistake of jumping on the bandwagon without understanding how to use these programs to achieve maximum benefits.

Misconception

With all the hype going on about employee health and well-being, most tech companies compete with each other to create the most successful health and well-being programs.

Some of these programs include;

• Flexible working hours
• Fitness programs and challenges
• Healthy snacks or cooking classes at office
• Working from home
• Meditation breaks… and the list goes on

While agreeing with all of the events listed above, it is also important to dive in a little bit deeper as to what “Happiness at work” really means. The misconception is that these additional activities are sufficient to make an individual happy. Employee health and well-being consist of physical, mental and social health of a person, and this has to be in place when they are engaged in work as well.

The reality

The truth is, before even moving on to these activities, we have to consider that the outcome of the “Work” they produce is satisfying mentally, physically and socially.

Most of the time employees are stressed out due to not knowing what they are supposed to do, unhappy about their supervisors, or having difficulties in getting along with their team members.

Although a certain amount of stress is acceptable, over-stressing will result in an “unhappy” employee. Health and well-being activities may help in providing partial happiness as they could help relieve some stress. Unfortunately, this formula doesn’t produce “productive” employees that contribute to the growth of the company.

What needs to be done

Any company that embarks on the journey to employee health and well-being has to first look in to how employees feel about their “work” and responsibilities, and if sufficient feedback loops are in place to make sure they understand what is expected of them.

It is also important to sort out any miscommunications to make sure that the employees are not over-stressed on the work itself. This is the first step in creating a healthy and productive workforce and carry on to other activities that will help in other aspects. Each individual has an impact on the levels of happiness in the workplace through their behaviors and attitudes. But the leaders have the greatest influence on the overall organizational culture.

Recommendation

Being a part of the Cooperate Health and Productivity Awards 2019 has helped us understand our employee “Happiness” and how it was connected to productivity. Having a structured approach to employee health and well-being and creating appropriate conditions can help reach an individual’s as well as your company’s full potential!