Are happy workers and workplaces becoming extinct?

Only a generation away

I recently had my first interaction with Global Corporate Challenge (GCC), who do incredible work with programs designed to improve the physical health and performance of employees

GCC was founded in Melbourne in 2003 and on reading their website I was struck by this comment:

What started as frustration at our increasingly sedentary society soon developed into the realization that we are only a generation away from not being able to field a globally competitive workforce.

I have long held the view that from a mental and emotional health perspective, happy workers and workplaces are on the decline, and like bees, could be facing extinction, which explains the honeycomb logo on my company website. Interestingly, the latest talk about bees is Colony Collapse Disorder, and I wonder if this could be a phenomenon threatening our competitive advantage at work?

Global evidence mounts

Evidence is mounting in support of this view.

Worksafe Australia declared in 2012 that”It’s a matter of “National Interest”.

More recently, Gallup’s new 142-country study on the State of the Global Workplace revealed that only 13% of employees worldwide are engaged at work , which means that that only one in eight workers of the 180 million employees studied are psychologically committed to their jobs and likely to be making positive contributions to their organizations.

In my social conversations, the responses I have been getting when I ask my friends about why they go to work, and how it’s going, provide honest and unembellished answers that have surprisingly supported the evidence.

In a recent chat with a close friend, the answer I received was, ‘Work Happiness is a myth, I hate my job, and the only reason most people work is because they need the money.’

Some even argue that happiness at work depends on how high up the tree you are, or what choices you have.

So do we need to accept this as the status quo, drift into blame, excuses and denial and accept that the norm has become Maslow style survival with individuals just looking out for themselves?

What successful organisations are doing

My curiosity lies with what’s happening in the organisations where the 13% work.

When I observe what organisations are doing in order to challenge this trend what strikes me is the high level of trust and cooperation, and the recognition that the ongoing survival of the happy workplace is a shared responsibility at three key levels:

Firstly, leaders who lead with compassion AND consequence, and are courageous and relentless in their pursuit of creating psychologically safe workplaces.

Second, individuals recognise that they have an equal responsibility in maintaining their psychological fitness. Forward thinking organisations are willing to help foster and support this with organisations like Google, Cisco, Ford, Linked In, Twitter, Huffington Post and others investing in a Search In Yourself Leadership program, with incredible personal shifts. One of my favourite comments from a Google employee is “my old coping strategy—the bourbon and cheeseburger method—wasn’t working”

Imagine the benefits in his work performance, career benefits and the impact on his personal life and relationships.

Thirdly, it’s about psychologically thriving teams, where peers look out for each other, and expect the same in return, where trust, transparency and accountability are the norm.

A recent Harvard Business review article on deliberately development organisations, who create competitive advantage by turning employee struggles into growth opportunities showcases the following aspects of truly thriving teams:

“ If people must be vulnerable in order to grow they need a community that will make them feel safe’
“ Experiencing yourself as incomplete or inadequate but still included, accepted and valued”

It’s no surprise that when these factors are in place, not only is engagement high, but productivity and results follow, providing a competitive advantage and ensuring the continued existence of happy workers and workplaces.