Contrary to popular belief and people's expectations, happiness is not fluffy. Indeed, it is sometimes a little more complicated than it seems. There is a strong business case for happiness, and scientific evidence shows that it is important to organizations, people and communities. Or better said, for everyone.
In fact, it will be a key ingredient for success in the future of the labor market and of work itself. Happiness may wax and wane, but an overall sense of well-being, satisfaction, and fulfillment matters—a lot. In addition, science has proven that success does not lead to happiness, but in fact the opposite is true.
Happiness can be defined in many ways: it is joy and a feeling of general well-being. It is contentment and a feeling of positive emotions. Of course, no one is happy all the time (nor do I think it's a healthy thing for that to happen), and levels of happiness rise and fall with circumstances, challenges, and context. But overall happiness occurs when the positive outweighs the negative in a macro sense. The best choices are when you get more of the good and less of the bad over time.
In his book, The Happiness Hypothesis, researcher Jonathan Haidt says that happiness is based on three ingredients. First, there is a genetic link to happiness, and those with a "happiness gene" tend to experience greater happiness than others. He writes that one’s affective style reflects the everyday balance of power between one’s approach and withdrawal system. Interestingly, researchers from the University of Oxford have discovered a gene that predisposes people to experience the conditions around them more intensely, and this may also contribute to happiness. But in addition to a genetic component, circumstances contribute to happiness, and so do actions. It is the combination of the three—genes, circumstances, and selection—that tend to drive a person's overall level of happiness. This is good news because our mindset and choices matter to our sense of joy and contentment. We can create our own happiness. Is it true that you haven't thought of this before?
In another study conducted by Kansas State University, the researcher Thomas Wright found that when people were happier, they demonstrated better decision-making and performance at work. Simply put, psychologically well employees are better performers. Since higher employee performance is inextricably tied to an organization's bottom line, employee well-being can play a key role in establishing a competitive advantage. In addition, studies have
shown that being psychologically well has
many benefits for the individual, Wright said. Employees with high well-being tend to be superior decision makers, demonstrate better interpersonal behaviors and receive higher pay, he said. They also enjoyed higher levels of physical and emotional well-being, which reduced costs for companies. In addition, they were more likely to stay with their employer, thus reducing turnover costs.
The effects of happiness on these results were the same regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, length of service and education levels. The researcher said happiness is not only a responsibility to ourselves, but also to our co-workers, who often rely on us to be steadfast and supportive. It seems that I got my hands on the key to success. Let's see if we know how to use it.
There is also a relationship between workplace autonomy and happiness. According to research by the University of Birmingham, when employees report greater control over their tasks at work, they also report higher levels of well-being and satisfaction. Control over the completion of tasks and the timing of work, and the implementation of formal or informal flexible working arrangements, have been identified as potential routes to improving employee satisfaction and working conditions.
In recent decades, developments in information communications technologies and changes in the structure of paid work have increased the potential for flexibility over the timing and location of paid work, providing opportunities to work at all times and in a range of locations, including home. Work is part of life and life is part of work – and the conditions of each influence the other.
In the end, we can agree together that today the psychological state and the vibe at the workplace matter more than ever. A job full of meaning, good relations with colleagues and implicitly with one's own person, but also the feeling of belonging, can end up being the main wishes and expectations that a future employee has before the job interview.
These things sound very challenging and what would you say if the labor market is going to be the birthplace of Sense 3.0.?