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When we think of happiness, we often think it means the positive feelings you get by having everything you want. But research has shown that it isn’t about feeling good every minute of every day. Nor is it a final "destination" you eventually get to. Instead, it exists as an on-going journey that needs to be continually nurtured. Happiness, at least according to science, is a combination of how satisfied you are with your life overall and how content, positive, and well you feel on a daily basis. And, surprisingly, it’s rarely dictated by circumstances.
Organizations can help cultivate happiness with their employees by helping their employees feel their best (both mentally and physically), experience social connections with others, and find meaning in their work. By taking an active role in fostering employee happiness, businesses can start to see productivity results that positively impact their bottom line.
Help your employees find happiness at work through a combination of management practices and facility design decisions aimed at addressing connection, empowerment, and fulfillment:
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FOSTERING CONNECTION
Make employees feel like they’re part of a team/family and connected to the organization’s purpose -
People crave connection. They want to feel like they’re a part of something bigger than themselves. When it comes to work, they want to find meaning in what they do and to understand how they are contributing to the bigger picture. Make sure that your organization’s mission, purpose and strategic objectives are clearly communicated to your employees and that it is evidently clear how their work can make a difference.
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FOSTERING CONNECTION
Provide spaces, amenities, and events designed to encourage team building and random moments of fun -
Employees also need to feel connected to their co-workers. With collaboration becoming increasingly important in the way work gets done today, it’s vital for employees to develop quality relationships with each other. Encourage positive social interaction, especially among teams, through sponsored events that allow colleagues to get to know each other on a personal level. Design workspaces and strategically locate shared amenities in ways that bring groups of people together to interact. Intentionally building camaraderie among co-workers will improve teamwork, morale, and productivity.
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ENCOURAGING EMPOWERMENT
Promote employee autonomy through less micro-managing, by allowing personalized workspaces, and offering a choice of workspace settings -
Offering choice in where to work and involvement in project decision-making are ways to help employees feel more empowered and valued. Establish a work culture where management is transparent with information, and employees get to provide input on projects and strategy so that they feel heard. Thoughtful facility design that allows for a wide variety of settings—ones that support connection as well as opportunities for focus—and providing furniture conducive to lounging or co-creating will give workers the freedom to choose where to get their work done.
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ENCOURAGING EMPOWERMENT
Support flexible working arrangements that allow employees to achieve work/life balance -
Life happens, and happiness revolves around getting to experience it. Offering flexible work arrangements that allow employees to occasionally work from home or leave early to see their kid’s soccer games are essential to employee well-being and happiness. According to Gallup’s State of the American Workplace 2017, 53% of employees say a role with greater work-life balance is “very important” to them. How can this benefit the organization? Research conducted by Stanford University has shown that providing employees with a mental and emotional break from a long commute and the distractions of the office can lead to a significant boost in productivity for the organization. Cha-ching.
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FULFILLMENT
Offer more frequent feedback in the form of coaching sessions -
People like knowing where they stand. And, let’s face it, job performance ambiguity can lead to stress, insecurity, and poor decision making. Organizations that only encourage feedback to be given during an annual review are missing the big picture—this strategy doesn’t allow for any course correction when it’s needed the most. Today’s workers today regular feedback to help them better understand what is expected of them and how to improve the quality of their work. By offering frequent formal and informal check-ins, you not only help motivate your employees to perform better but also establish more open communication.
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FULFILLMENT
Allow time for personal development and encourage breaks -
While letting employees work on things other than…well… work can seem counterproductive, allowing people to cultivate personal interests and develop skills demonstrates a work culture that values life-long learning. The vast majority of respondents (87%) in a 2016 Pew Research Center Survey considered it crucial to have development opportunities throughout their working life. Letting your employees learn and explore any possible hidden talents not only contributes to their happiness but also serves to uncover additional skills that might benefit your company. Studies also have shown that employees who take lunch breaks and intentional micro-breaks achieve higher levels of focus, experience greater capacity to think creatively, and attain higher levels of health and well-being. So, make a point to encourage employees to take regular breaks throughout the day so that they can re-energize and regain focus.
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