It’s International Work Happiness Week, but work happiness is much more than a buzzword. It is an essential aspect of how work can be designed. Working with energy, inspiring colleagues and customers, and results you are proud of – that is what makes people flourish. Job satisfaction is not just about what you do, but especially about how you do it. It requires a culture in which happiness in the workplace is the norm.
In our organization we did not opt for one work happiness week, but for work happiness weeks: a month of work happiness. Each week focused on a different pillar: from knowledge and development to collaboration and appreciation. Consider what job satisfaction means and what that looks like, because job satisfaction is different for everyone.
Our definition of job satisfaction:
A real verb, we think. And not just because it’s about work.
What do I mean by it? That in our organization we all do the work that makes us happy, in the way that makes us happy, with the people that make us happy, for the clients that make us happy, with the results that make us happy. .
Flattened is what it’s all about. A verb, because it is something we will continue to work tirelessly for, something we will always continue to work on together.
Work Happiness Month for depth and variation
Why a month? Because real change takes time. A month offers space for depth and variation. It ensures that new ideas really take hold in daily work and make an impact.
Why it is better to spend a longer period of time on job satisfaction:
1. More time for lasting change
Changes in behavior and work culture simply take time. A month provides space to set up various activities and initiatives, making the impact deeper and the changes more sustainable. This is often not feasible in one week.
2. Room for more diversity
With one month you can highlight several aspects of work happiness, such as stress, work-life balance, knowledge sharing, appreciation and personal development. In a week this will become too rushed, which is likely to cause some themes to remain underexposed.
3. Integrate gradually
One month ensures that job satisfaction really takes a place in the daily course of events. Employees have more time to try out new ideas and think about how they can apply them in their own work. It feels less like something that has to be done quickly and more like a natural process.
4. Better availability
Not everyone can always participate in a short event due to holidays or other obligations. With a month you have more time to reach everyone and ensure that no one misses important parts.
5. Long-term awareness
A month’s focus on job satisfaction ensures that the theme sticks around longer. It becomes a permanent part of the work culture instead of a short-lived project that quickly fades away.
6. Anchoring in culture
A month gives a signal that job satisfaction is an important theme within the organization. It is even more important not to focus on job satisfaction for a week or a month, but to allow it to return structurally throughout the year, in different forms.
In short, a Work Happiness Month offers the opportunity to really anchor work happiness in the culture. With a longer period there is room for deeper changes, diversity in initiatives and more involvement. Employees can integrate job satisfaction into their daily work step by step, which contributes to sustainable results and a positive working environment.
Job satisfaction is not a short revival, but a lasting investment in both the well-being of your team and the success of your organization.
Working for job satisfaction
Remember, it doesn’t have to be complicated, small actions go a long way. It is mainly about the attention you pay to it together, the value you attach to it and the follow-up you give it. Be inspired by the themes and initiatives below, but also make it your own by, for example, connecting it to your own organizational values.
1. Make yourself at home
This week was all about the workplace and the atmosphere in the office. An initiative such as the compliment wall, where colleagues could give each other compliments, contributed to a positive working environment. In addition, a joint playlist was created and colleagues exchanged tips via a #Werkgelukkig Slack channel.
2. Knowledge is Power
Learning and development play a key role in job satisfaction. By investing in personal growth, individuals and teams become stronger. During this week, activities such as Lunch&Learn, a book club and a book swap took place, under the motto: reading makes you smarter.
3. Together is not alone
Strong collaborations are an important source of job satisfaction. This week was all about collaboration and team spirit, with team challenges, office bingo and a sporting outing such as padel to strengthen the mutual bond.
4. That smile suits you
Fun in the workplace is crucial for job satisfaction. The last week was all about celebrating successes and having fun at work. Enjoy delicacies, employees received a chair massage and collectively look back on a successful month.
Job satisfaction deserves a top priority, because it is the basis for success, creativity and innovation. A team that feels good works with more passion and energy and this is reflected both within and outside the organization. If employees can fully use their talents, it has a positive impact on everything they do.
Happiness at work is a verb
Of course goals and results are important, but just as important is how you achieve them. How do people feel? How do they grow as individuals and as a team? Happiness at work radiates to colleagues and customers, thus creating a positive working atmosphere. Happiness at work, a real verb.
Source: www.frankwatching.com
