Work and home cannot be separated: go for tailored work happiness

Work and home cannot be separated: go for tailored work happiness

Happiness is receiving increasing attention in science and in the workplace. For example, the multidisciplinary research and knowledge institute EHERO (part of Erasmus University Rotterdam) conducts applied scientific research on work happiness within an alliance of leading organizations in the service industry. Within this alliance Erik Bemelmans supports the participating organizations in the design and guidance of happiness interventions that measurably enhance (work) happiness among employees. We asked him, "What is involved?"

But first: why is there so much attention to work happiness these days?
Erik: "That's almost impossible to sum up in one answer. The industrial revolution gave us mass production, efficiency, profitability and unprecedented prosperity. But now we live in a service economy and information society in which other laws apply. We see that with an increase in prosperity, our happiness has barely increased proportionally in recent decades. What's more, in our quest for greater prosperity we are squeezing our planet. This realization does something to our sense of purpose.

The concept of Human Resources is coming under pressure. We have started to see people as a production factor, which we steer by means of assessment systems and job descriptions on the basis of control and manageability. But organizations that cling to this frenetically will sooner or later face internal resistance: employees no longer want this. At the same time, organizations that treat the employee as a human being are flourishing. We see that job satisfaction translates into success, sustainable growth and profitability.

This is logical, because let's face it: if you are going through a transition and are not feeling well, or you have just lost a loved one, then talking about performance will not suddenly make you perform better. We have to find new ways of increasing employees' job satisfaction and ability to work. And you shouldn't do this because you see that it leads to success in other organizations, but because you really want to put the happiness of the employee first and believe that this will make both people and organizations flourish. Our happiness research supports this by looking for: what works, for whom, and under what circumstances?"

Work and private life are inseparable
"It is important to focus on happiness as a whole and not only on work happiness. If only work happiness is your starting point and you limit yourself to the work context, then you're not going to make the real difference. You can't separate private and work, because they are completely intertwined. For example, if you have sleep problems (private context), then that can have a huge effect on your work (work context). As an employer, it is important to engage in dialogue about life satisfaction in general and not just in or at work. For example, think about a wonderful hobby that someone is practicing at home, and how you could integrate this into work? If you do this, it is more likely to contribute to the degree to which an individual creates satisfaction in their own life as a whole."

The employer's role: facilitate happiness in existing processes
"From autonomy, meaning, pleasure to engagement, social relationships and challenge, numerous themes contribute to happiness. You can put these into so many existing processes and work elements, such as Performance Management, signposting new employees, working hours or workspaces. Sometimes it's revolutionary changes that create impact, such as 32-hour work weeks, unlimited vacation days, naps in between, growth conversations and job crafting. But of course happiness is also found in small things, like expressing appreciation more often or being able to go for a walk once in a while.

I believe that every HR professional and manager would do well to immerse themselves in happiness at work. Maybe even every employee. It's about engaging in a personal dialogue about what makes you (un)happy and what you need (or don't need) to achieve this? There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all solution. The primary focus on numbers is of the past, it is of the present to engage in sincere connection to allow employee and organization to flourish."

Source:
ICM