How to increase happiness at work?

"Well, now THIS made me happy!

When flying to Vienna delivering a - enthusiastically received - keynote there for Morison Global , I decided to stay a day longer to visit this city proclaimed ‘the most livable city in the world”.

I settled down in one of its parks to read a book, when two young guys approached me with a rather special question: “Was ist Glück für dich?”

I learned that the ‘interviewer’, called Jonas Bosco, had been doing over 100 interviews with random people, asking these strangers what meant happiness for them. As it was such a cool conversation I couldn’t help but saying that THIS makes me truly happy: two twenty-something guys spending all their spare time talking to strangers about happiness. They could have easily spent their time partying or sleeping or studying or sporting, but no. They decided for themselves that asking people about their happiness is a much cooler and more satisfying way of spending their Saturday. It just made them happy doing this.

If this was their real daily life job, they would definitely be the happiest employees in the world, considering all the efforts and attention they put in it and the rewarding answers and happy faces they get out of it. So I truly wish for them that their inspiring Saturday-work can become their fulltime real job!

Talking about this combination ‘happiness & work’, the following question popped up in my always wondering mind:

How can we truly boost the happiness of our colleagues and/or employees?

How can we make sure they love and keep on loving their job?

How can we keep them happily on board?

Giving out raises is of course only one possibility to do so, but maybe not the most successful one on the long term, apart from being also the most expensive way to retain employees. While more money can help to put a smile on employees' faces, it's not the best way to keep them cheerful. What else could help to boost their morale?

I took a deep dive into experiences of happiness in the workplace and found four truly unique approaches from four unique businesses.

Let’s shortly explore them!  

1| Satisfied employees thanks to 'Just Wonder'

Every month, 3000 people apply for a job at Cool Blue and that is largely due to their company culture. There is for example a 'Friends' value that stimulates employees to not only be colleagues but also to consider themselves as friends. And their 'Just Wonder' value aligns with the obsessive focus on customer satisfaction. They strive to amaze their customers throughout the entire product purchase process. For the employees, this value has become the most normal thing in the world.

>>> Why not start with doing everything just a little differently and a little better every day? 

 2| Productive employees thanks to lessons from Formula 1 teams.

The common goal of a Formula 1 team is crystal clear: win the next race. The cars are in fact driving prototypes and every week 1000 little things are changed because everyone can adjust one tiny thing from his knowledge and expertise to make the car faster. Necessary requirements to do so: transparency of data for everyone; learn from mistakes and improve; cross-functional teams; autonomy and authority for the frontline people. All the employees feel really involved. Their knowledge and expertise count and is considered of great value.

>>> Why not make your organization as fast and agile as a Formula 1 team where everybody is truly involved? 

3| Human employees thanks to a personal touch

Doctors and nurses, who are dressed in coveralls every day in the Jessa Hospital to take care of COVID-19 patients, now wear a cheerful photo of themselves on their gowns. In that way the nurses do not all look the same to the COVID-19 patients what also reduces anxiety by them. It also helps the colleagues to recognize each other faster in these protective suits and keeps the work and relationships among them personal.

>>> Make sure your employees have the feeling of being seen and involved.

 4| Boost the wellbeing of your employees and customers

In the Philippines, Coca Cola temporarily halted all their advertising to use the budget in its entirety to provide COVID-19 aid to the worst affected regions. The budget is used to provide protective clothing for health care workers and food parcels for vulnerable families.

>>> Show that you as an organization care about the health, wellbeing and happiness of your customers

So, one last question for you: Have you success stories about happiness and how to boost it in your workplace?

Then I am very eager to read them! Let me know, because THAT just makes me happy!