5 Elements To Promote Happiness In A Business

FastCompany published a recent article on the Secrets of America’s Happiest Companies. The article compiles the results from the 50 happiest American companies published by CareerBliss. The magazine comes up with 5 rules to promote employees’ happiness.

1. MEANING

FastCompany mentions a strong correlation between an employee’s meaning and his happiness level in a company. An employee who understands his meaning in a company and the impact he has on the organisation and on society in general tends to be happier. Chip Conley explains the same concept in his book Peak. In his employee’s pyramid of needs, he identifies on the first level the salary, at the second, recognition, and at the third, meaning. The higher people climb this pyramid, the happier they will get at work.

2. RECOGNITION

The magazine also mentions organizations where people’s recognition is an integral part of their culture have more chances to increase the happiness level of his employees. It’s understandable. Who doesn’t like feeling appreciated for good work, good deeds or good realizations? Obviously, recognition must be sincere, well done and possess 4 essential elements to accomplish its goal.

3. WORK/FAMILY INTEGRATION

We often hear the phrase «work/family conciliation». But this concept works ever less today. We are close to «work/family integration». In a society where workers’ jobs are increasingly based on knowledge and with the acceleration of means of communication, the 9-to-5 work schedule is transformed in much more irregular hours. The idea that you work only when you are physically at the office, and that you don’t when you are not, is increasingly obsolete.

4. CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

Companies which are not satisfied with the statu quo aim to constantly improve how to increase their workers’ happiness. Organisations must ensure to allow their employees to develop, grow, which will in turn increases their sense of meaning.

5. HUMAN BEINGS BEFORE WORKERS

In 2013, we are far from our friend Frederick Taylor’s assembly lines. An employee is a human being before being a worker. Companies focusing on the individual as such instead of his label as worker will allow their employees to increase their happiness at work.

What do you think of these 5 factors?  Are you living them in your company?