'Cause when you're worried your face will frown and that will bring everybody down
Recently I read in 20 Minutes, a free newspaper handed out at French metro stations, a very interesting "dossier" on happiness at work. I was amazed at how many companies make the effort to spend some money in order to organise trips abroad, days out and creative activities to make sure that their employees feel happy and fulfilled.
One company, Radioshop, even went as far as creating a “Joy Squad” made up of employees (they rotate members every six months) in charge of coming up with fun and creative things to do as a team.
UK agency Propellernet, well regarded for being a fantastic place to work, places such an emphasis on making life better for clients, employees and the wider community, that they’ve even made it their strapline. For their part, they have come up with the concept of “Fun Ministry” – the gateway to free breakfasts and lunches, massages, events, parties, shows, craft sessions, games nights, exercise classes, and so much more. They are convinced that "happy, healthy and socialised colleagues work smarter and better together, making for an altogether more content workplace", and I agree.
In the current uncertain economic and political climate, it would make sense that the budget put aside for team building activities would be the first to go, together with things like PR, marketing, communications but the thing is that if employees are unhappy in their jobs, they’ll leave. Then management is stuck with the daunting task of recruiting new employees, training them, and waiting for them to get stuck in. That is time and money right there.
Is it possible to associate the word happiness with work and productivity?
Maybe it just comes down to employees experiencing more positive than negative emotions in the workplace. If companies managed to create an environment where their people trust the management, are proud of the work they do and have a good relationship with co-workers there might be less turnover. Clients would probably get a better service and the business would end up getting better results. It feels like a win-win situation to me.
Hopefully more companies will follow the example of Radioshop and Propellernet, to only name but two, and invest time and money in the "happiness" of their employees.
I’m not saying that team building will save the business world - that would be a naïve perspective on the situation - but if employees feel valued and are given the opportunity to bond in different ways it might open the channels of communication and create a happier place to be.
Most of us spend much of our waking lives at work. Wouldn’t it be great if it was a happy place to be?
-Doing what you like is freedom, liking what you do is happiness-
