Series - Work your way to happiness - part 5

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: 'One of the more important happiness factors when it comes to work is the degree of autonomy you are allocated. You have extremely inspiring leaders, and as an employee consciously going along with their vision can certainly also bring happiness. But there aren't that many of them and too often you see that the strategy and course is rolled out like a kind of suffocating blanket over everything and everyone. It sounds a bit heavy perhaps, but by far most employees have no other choice than to accept that and think "It will be fine". And we must not forget how incredibly important work is in our lives; how many thoughts, dreams and time we spend on it. It can be different…'

Work ethic?

'Of course it would be nice if the call for autonomy came directly from the organization itself. But – we know from experience – it's not so easy as an individual in a work situation to raise your finger. You have to have an enormous amount of courage for that, and whether it yields anything good is still questionable. But we do live in a time when people see work a bit differently and want to derive more satisfaction from it. You certainly see that among Millennials and Generation Z, in a tight labor market where employees also have other options. As an employer you have to deal with that. And yes, we do see the reaction, "What about the work ethic?" come by. What is left of the shoulders-to-the-wheel mentality? Understandable.'

Rising revenue

'Of course decisions have to be made and knots have to be cut, and of course you can't endlessly consult with everyone. But it is very wise to look carefully at how you as a leader make the organization function optimally. You can of course sit in a cabin in the heath with the board and think everything up there and then impose it. But you can also retrieve the necessary information from the organization, because that's where the people are who at least know most about their own work. You find out what the employees think and what they want and that has unprecedented advantages; the company strategy can be based on more knowledge and information and is therefore often substantially better. And it's co-creation and so it is – and this is gold – supported much more broadly internally; people feel heard and feel co-responsible for it. And if you maintain that, that degree of mutual communication, then – simply put – everyone in the organization is happier. The business advantages are unmistakable; less absenteeism, more creativity, better cooperation and ultimately a better business result. But as a leader you can also ask yourself, happier employees, why wouldn't I just want that anyway? – It is in my opinion the world we should move towards.'

Article was published on February 21, 2024 in The Optimist