Work to Make Every Day a Great Day
A report by business psychologists and the Bank Workers Charity (BWC) in the United Kingdom studied 1500 adults to understand what a “good day at work” means to different people. Their report categorized employees into four “buckets”:
- Task-focused employees who have a ‘get-in-get-out’ mindset.
- Trailblazer employees who feel valued at their workplace and are driven by a sense of purpose at work.
- Corporate Citizens who are focused on meeting business demands and feel discouraged when faced with obstacles.
- Sustainably engaged employees who enjoy feeling like they’re making a difference and value good relationships at the workplace.
Organizations that succeed at understanding their employees find it easier to create a “good day” blueprint. In the same vein, employees need to learn how to nurture positive work expectations. For example, teams that strive to be creative and innovative welcome respectful disagreement. Employees who expect everyone to agree with their ideas or opinions will hinder the fostering of a culture of change. Any disagreement will be seen as a negative experience rather than an exercise in brainstorming.
A study by Oxford University found that happy employees are 13% more productive. They’re also loyal, more open to collaboration, keen to take up creative challenges, and make better leaders. Because on-the-job happiness has a direct impact on workplace performance, why not try these simple ways to encourage your employees as they walk through the door every morning:
- Hire people who have an optimistic outlook.
- Nurture a sense of community among employees.
- Break the routine every once in a while.
- Foster an environment of empathy.
- Encourage employees to have personal career goals.
- Redefine failures as learning opportunities.
- Influence positive change in society through giving back.
