How to achieve happiness at work

12/10/08

When vacation time rolls around at most companies, it's typical to see most employees distracted by their upcoming plans, making last-minute itinerary changes online and crossing off days on their wall calendars.

But what if you worked at a company where employees are so happy to be at work that they almost dread leaving the office for a long vacation? A place where employees were excited to return after a long break?

As more businesses place added emphasis on happiness at work, such an environment may not be as much of an oddity as it is today.

In a recent article at Harvard business, business coach Gill Corkindale examined how the happiest companies in the U.S. and U.K. got to be so happy, even with the added stress of an economic recession.

"As a business coach, I've noticed that more and more managers and leaders are expecting to derive more happiness and satisfaction from their work," said Corkindale. "They are often young, talented and successful people who view their jobs as routes to self-actualization. Yet this shift in the purpose of work raises many questions: how much satisfaction are we entitled to derive from work? And should employers be expected to provide meaning and happiness as well as a job and salary?"

Research shows that companies with happy employees perform "notably better" financially than lower-ranked companies. Happiness at work has also been proven to keep employees healthier and improve productivity.

"Employee satisfaction is a very effective motivational tool and a powerful method of retaining key employees," said Corkindale.

Along with improving business, happiness helps companies create a culture where leaders, employees and customers can prosper. Here are just a few ways the happiest companies got to be so happy:

• Positivity. The happiest companies have created a work environment that focuses less on what employees are doing wrong and more on what they are succeeding at. Employees are regularly recognized for doing a great job.
• Freedom. Creativity is easier to find in a workplace where employees are given the freedom to make decisions on their own, rather than one where a manager watches their every move.
• Expectations. Employees know what is expected of them and the quality of the work they produce. Happy employees understand their goals and have a plan on how to reach them.
• Feedback. Feedback is critical to employees finding job ownership. Provide workers with feedback from internal and external sources on a regular basis so they can take ownership in their work.
• Skills. Training allows employees a chance to develop the skills they need to succeed at work, improves engagement and gives a boost to employee morale.

With some hard work and creativity, happiness at work can be an attainable goal. Make a conscious effort to improve the mood at your company and your bottom line will reap the rewards.