Tip 16 - The real secret to being happy at work

how to understand your needs ...

I write this blog for team leaders and business owners who are keen to foster happier workplaces. However, I realise many of my readers aren't in leadership roles and are simply looking for  tips to enhance their own happiness at work. So, in this edition, I'm going to share a starightforward trick you can use that might just help you feel a bit happier in your job.

Photo by David Siglin on Unsplash

This blog post was inspired by a great conversation I had a couple of weeks ago with Dr Nia Thomas on her podcast “Knowing Self Knowing Others”. We discussed how, by understanding your own needs, you can take significant steps to enjoy your work a little more.

In May 2000, I was on a beach in Thailand, typing away on my laptop writing my first book. My girlfriend (now wife) and I had our own beach hut on a tiny island, far away from the tourist crowds. Every morning, we would go snorkelling in the warm ocean and then enjoy fresh fruit and coconut milk on our small balcony. It was costing us $7 a day, and we had enough savings to stay there for years. Yet, one morning we woke up and decided we’d had enough; it was time to return home, buy a suit, and get a job in the city. We weren’t unhappy; we'd just realised we needed more from life than sun, sand and squat toilets.

The view from our balcony

What makes you happy at work?

For us, at the age of 26, we wanted a future and a career. We wanted to learn and achieve something. We wanted to make a difference somehow, somewhere.

22 years later, I was CEO of my own company with 40 employees, and I gave it all up again.

This time, I wanted to spend more time with my daughters. 

I had the career, I’d achieved my goals; now I wanted more freedom to have more quality time with my family.

Everyone is different

What you need to be happy at work is different to the person sitting next to you, different to your boss, your CEO and the intern that started last week. It’s different from your brother, your sister and your best friend. It is different to what you needed 5 years ago and will be different to what you need in 10 years time. We all have our own unique motivations and unique needs, and, to make things even more complicated they continuously evolve. At 26 I craved stability and a future; 22 years later I wanted flexibility and more control of my life.

The one tip to make everyone happy at work

In every podcast I appear on, and in every speech I deliver, someone always asks, “what is the one thing I can do tomorrow to make my team happier?” 

The answer … 

Ask them. They will know better than you and, I guarantee you will get a hundred different answers.

This week’s tip

Ask yourself -  What do I need to be happy?

Reflecting on this will help you identify and address what is important to you.

However … I have asked this question to hundreds of people, and many people find it very challenging to answer. They have a rough idea of what they need at work but often struggle to articulate their real needs. In such cases, using prompts really helps. Here are fourteen statements from the Indeed Workplace Wellbeing Survey that can point you in the right direction. Read each one and if you disagree with any, you might want to consider how you could make improvements in those areas.

• My work has a clear sense of purpose.

• I feel happy at work most of the time.

• I feel stressed at work most of the time.

• I am paid fairly for my work.

• There are people at work who give me support and encouragement.

• There are people at work who appreciate me as a person.

• I can trust people in my company.

• I feel a sense of belonging in my company.

• My manager helps me succeed.

• My work environment feels inclusive and respectful of all people.

• My work has the time and location flexibility I need.

• In most of my work tasks, I feel energised.

• I am achieving most of my goals at work.

• I often learn something at work.

According to the US Surgeon general there are five essentials you need to fulfil to feel wellbeing at work, safety, community, autonomy, opportunities for growth and purpose.

Which one is the most important to you right now?

Further reading

Indeed workplace wellbeing survey - helps identify your workplace needs.

Friday Pulse free survey - helps identify your workplace needs.

Knowing Self Knowing others Substack

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If you think your business could benefit from learning about the science of wellbeing and discovering how to improve team happiness and performance, I’d love to chat. In my day job I talk to business leaders and run workshops for teams. I teach the basics of happiness in the workplace and provide practical guidance on how companies can improve team performance using the science of wellbeing. You can find more details about my work on richardclarke.eu or feel free to book a free 30 minute consultation call.