How frequently do you consider quitting your job because you believe your salary isn't that good for the effort and service you provide to your company?
Happiness and contentment are subjective ideas; some people think it's about job satisfaction, others may desire recognition of their efforts and lose motivation if they do not receive it.
For some people, having a comfortable work atmosphere is a must to enjoy themselves. Whatever the standards, being satisfied with our jobs is essential for maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
In one of their studies, the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom discovered that happy workers are up to 12% more productive than sad experts. They are more likely to be in excellent health, have well-functioning professional and personal relationships, and contribute to the company's success as a whole.
In this article, we'll look at the different facets of work happiness, why it's essential for retaining job motivation, and some of the most influential and cutting-edge ways for achieving maximum satisfaction at work.
The Importance Of Happiness At Work
"Happiness is a direction, not a place" - Sydney J. Harris.
There is a reason why the concept of workplace happiness did not exist until a few decades ago. The industrial sector has changed dramatically in recent years, and we now work in roles that did not exist twenty years ago.
In the 1940s and 1950s, who would have imagined job titles like Social Media Manager, SEO Expert, Chief Happiness Officer, Motivational Coach and Speaker, Career Counselor, or Project Coordinator?
With such a diverse selection of sophisticated duties to pick from today, it is only natural that we can derive genuine satisfaction from the work we do. For a growing company, happy employees are a must.
In one of their research on organizational effectiveness, the iOpener Institute discovered that people who are happy at work are 65 percent more energetic than those who aren't (iOpener Institute, n.d.). They are two times more productive and have a higher chance of keeping their jobs for a long time.
How to be Happy at Work
When hedonic pleasures such as positive encounters every day, appreciation, and job satisfaction could be beneficial to measure workplace happiness, the results can be fleeting.
Happiness at work is more than a subjective emotion. It results from how we choose to control our thoughts, behaviors, and reactions daily rather than external forces like praise or rewards.
1. Self-Reward
We don't always have to wait for the team leaders to reward us. Give yourself some motivation if you know that you have done your bit and given it, you're all. Small rewards can boost work engagement, which has a connection to perseverance, energy, passion, and pride.
2. Responsibility
We are entitled to ourselves before anyone else. A happy employee is always willing to take charge of his actions and proactively develop his skills professionally.
3. Job Satisfaction
Before anybody else, we have a right to ourselves. A happy employee is always eager to take responsibility for his actions and actively engage in professional development.
Workplace happiness is simply an affective state driven by feelings rather than concepts, whereas job satisfaction is a mental state with both cognitive and affective components.
When researchers looked at how happy employees were on a large scale, they discovered that job satisfaction was a significant factor in how comfortable they felt at work.
4. Cognitive Awareness And Flow
At work, happiness means avoiding negative thoughts, gossip (unless it's positive), and unwarranted judgments.
Happy people can maintain their happiness by focusing on their deeds rather than allowing negative external influences to affect their feelings. Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers employed 'flow' or 'flow state' in their Humanistic Approaches.
When we are mindful and focused on the work at hand, we are in a state of flow. It is defined as exhilarating, euphoric, and offering a deep sense of pleasure, and it involves skills and internal motivation. You could have flown by sustained focus, high positive affect, and requires learning and mastery of skills.
5. Mindfulness
"People wait all week for Friday, all year for summer, and all life for happiness."
Mindfulness isn't only a trendy term; it's also not an overvalued idea. The benefits of mindful meditation have shown many good results.
According to studies done at Harvard Medical School and the Bender Institute of Neuroimaging in Germany, people who practice mindfulness and meditation before or after work feel more connected to and emotionally stable at work.
Now be happier with your work, and live a healthier life. If you would like to learn more advice for any self-development topics, you could also consult with us! Also, follow us at Instagram @baikgp and @ayureadypodcast for more information and extra insights!