Series – Work your way to happiness – part 4


This article was published on January 4, 2024 in The Optimist

Three-quarters of employees are unhappy. Absenteeism figures are higher than ever. And this while we need everyone with good spirits to realize the transition. We looked for answers and found Dr. Kim Cramer, co-founder of BR-ND People that builds brands and uses a scientific method to make employees and organizations flourish. Facts, experiences, tips straight from practice…

BY: GIJS DE SWARTE

Kim Cramer: 'What is working happily? A term you come across more and more is Social Sustainability. With sustainability, people often think of ecology and the planet, but how we as people deal with each other is an important part of it. Part of our work consists of creating organizations that are long-term sustainable. Justice, equality, inclusivity and diversity are core concepts that belong to it. The question is, how do you get there? It is initially often a collective search for the fundamental strength of the enterprise. What does everyone want to stand for and are we going to put our shoulders to it?'

How do you become happier in your work?

Kim Cramer: 'Work happiness partly depends on leaders, but you can of course also do a lot yourself. If you are aware of the things that make you happy, you can adjust your behavior. And the nice thing is, you also have a considerable influence on the happiness feeling of your colleagues. Happiness is contagious. The late Wubbo Ockels, the first Dutch astronaut and a childhood hero with whom I had the privilege to work briefly, even called radiating happiness an obligation.'

Five drivers

'About fifty percent of your happiness is determined by your genes, ten percent by circumstances and forty percent by your own actions. We have developed 23plusone; a scientific method where visual stimuli are used to discover how people are trying to become happy exactly. And there are five domains that, when activated and in balance, provide happiness. Also at work.

'One, ensure connection with your colleagues. Be social, help each other, have lunch together, take a walk and don't just talk about work. Start meetings with a check-in: how is everyone doing, what's on your mind? If it takes some getting used to being so open, remember that the work environment will feel increasingly safe as that becomes more normal through repetition. Two, wake up the child in yourself. Being curious, playing together and having fun, relaxing, pushing your boundaries, it promotes your happiness and the creativity and innovation power of the organization.'

Cool design

Three, people like competition. When you achieve success, you feel like a winner. Your hormones do the work and make you proud, confident. That's why it's good to stimulate challenges, define goals and celebrate successes. Four, people also get happy from beautiful things. Even at work you can enjoy beauty. Shapes and colors in the design of the work environment, cool design of presentations and other visual expressions, designing and sharing what you find beautiful, adds to happiness.

Move!

'And five, perhaps most important, a healthy mind in a healthy body has an enormous influence on our happiness experience. And although employers often don't feel responsibility for this yet, it is absolutely in the interest of the organization. What can we do ourselves? Above all, don't sit behind our laptop all day. Move! Take rest. Eat healthy. Speak out about stress and what hinders you. What belongs to that, knowing what you actually do your work for every day. Being able to develop your talents. And sufficient autonomy. In a happy organization, things are not imposed top down, but determined together. It's time for work happiness to become the norm. And why not, if it's also better for revenue?'