Is "Happiness" Generational?

The Future is Happy

There seems to be two camps when it comes to work and career and being productive: old school and new school.

Old schoolers were brought up to believe that work is supposed to be a struggle, say it’s called work for a reason, and think no laughing or smiles are going on when real work is being done.

It’s like that episode of Seinfeld where George acts annoyed so people think he’s busy.

New schoolers make happiness a priority, feel that time spent being miserable is time wasted, and believe jobs should be competing for them just as much as they compete for jobs.

Which is correct?

Of course, it isn’t quite as black and white as that.  

Times are changing in terms of workplace dynamics and the expectations that new generations entering the workforce have, and as successful business owners, we have to change with them.

Millennials looking for jobs are not just looking for competitive pay, but also careers with purpose, a balanced life, and happiness at work. Money is somewhat secondary. And studies are showing this isn’t just trending with Millennials, but employees on average prefer workplace well being to material benefits.  

Now that younger people with different priorities and views on what they want from their work lives are entering the job pool, choosing to ignore workplace happiness can be a mistake that might have negative effects on your business.  

Old schoolers might think, “They should be grateful just to have a job with a steady paycheck. It’s not my job to motivate them. Why should I care about how happy employees are?” That kind of mindset is a good way to lose talent and turnoff other members of the team.

So what could happen if you ignore workplace happiness?

·      Increased accidents and mistakes

·      Higher insurance costs because employees are getting sick

·      Costly, high turnover rates

·      Deteriorating customer service from your employees

The list goes on.

There are so many benefits to creating a work culture that fosters engagement and productivity for you and your team.  Standing out from the crowd is one of them.

Setting yourself apart from others in your industry- not just from a consumer point of view but also from the perspective of top talent looking for a place to work and grow- is a great reason to start paying attention to how work culture affects your team, your business, and you.

But who has time to come up with new hiring techniques, onboarding processes, wellness programs, and inspiring workspace designs for the office? And where do you start anyway?

It can be overwhelming with the ongoing tasks on your to-do list to even think about tackling the subject.  

So, as a successful CEO of your own awesome small business, what can you do?

Try looking at one area at a time and brainstorm with the team about what is working and what is not, where you would like to be in that area, and possible ways to get there.

Or, you can ask for help.

That’s where I come in. Find out more about working with me and let’s level up your workplace happiness.