Be Happy

The cover story in this month’s Harvard Business Review is about “happiness” and the correlation between happy employees and high-performing companies. It’s not that successful companies result in happy employees; rather, happy employees help the company become more successful. According to the research, happy employees are 31% more productive and three times more creative. They show up for work more often, are less likely to quit, give more discretionary effort to their work, and attract other people who are just as committed to the success of the organization.

So, how do you become happy? And, if you’re a manager, how do you keep your employees happy?

While some people are probably just born with a positive disposition and the environment in which they’re raised certainly is a contributing factor, happiness can be learned and developed. Acquiring a sense of well-being and satisfaction is something that comes from within, by appreciating life’s gifts—not what it lacks.

According to the research, here are some of the common observations of happy people:

• Resiliency—Happy people are resilient. They experience setbacks but tend to ‘find the silver linings.’ When something bad happens—e.g., an illness, divorce, or job loss—they believe that they will get through the hardship, and life will be better on the other side.
• Social Support—Happy people have strong bonds with friends and family. These relationships provide encouragement and support during times of high stress.
• Altruism—Happy people do small acts of kindness consistently to help others. They open doors for customers, run errands for managers, or lend a hand to co-workers who are working late to meet a deadline. Employees who help others at work are 40% more likely to get a promotion.
• Focused—Happy people pay attention to what’s important. According to the research, people are less happy when their minds are wandering—often dwelling on personal problems. Happy people stay focused and are mindful of their actions and behaviors.
• Gratefulness—Happy people are grateful for what they have in their lives and express their appreciation to others. They know that the purchase of a new car, new clothes, or a new piece of jewelry only brings a temporary feeling of satisfaction that soon vanishes.

So if you are an employer, how do you maximize employee happiness and produce a thriving company with successful business results? It’s not by creating a ‘country club’ atmosphere, nor spending a lot of money on extravagant benefits. It’s not by throwing a ton of parties and picnics.

According to the research, a company with a high ‘happiness quotient’ and successful business outcomes has two qualities: vitality—in which people are alive, passionate, and engaged in their work—and learning—where people are continually growing through the acquisition of new knowledge and skills. “Employees at thriving organizations are engaged in creating the future—the company’s and their own.”

Managers in companies with the “happiness advantage” do the following:

• Challenge appropriately—Happy people are engaged in their work and perform better in the face of a challenge. They work to meet goals that are difficult but not out of reach. There is a reasonable amount of stress to help employees reach peak performance, but the stress level is not excessive.
• Empower employees. Managers involve employees in decisions that affect them. Employees are given opportunities to solve business problems, and if mistakes are made, managers help employees learn from those mistakes.
• Share information. Employees are the happiest and the most productive when they understand how their work fits with the organization’s mission and strategy. They are aware of the company’s performance against stated goals, its financial status, as well as the company’s quality and service metrics. By providing ongoing information, employees learn more about the company and know how they’re performing on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.
• Act respectfully. In thriving companies, rudeness and disrespectful behavior are unacceptable. Workers are not berated, yelled at, or ridiculed. This type of behavior only produces employees who want to ‘get even’ or ‘get out.’

So, yes, we can learn to be happy. And, yes, managers can create a culture of happiness. However, like any other change of behavior, it takes repeated attention and effort. Happiness is good business.