A staggering 70% of the Indian workforce is unhappy at work and 54% want to quit. Additionally, with employees suffering from serious mental and physical conditions due to stress from the workplace making headlines, a comfortable and positive work environment isn’t just a value-add, it’s a bare necessity.
The Happiness Research Academy’s report on Happiness At Work brought to light how feelings of connection, acknowledgement and freedom are keys in creating a happy workplace. Namrata Tata, Managing Partner and Co-Founder at Happiest Places to Work, tells us, “In recent times, the traditional focus on basic survival needs has shifted, with more employees now seeking emotional fulfillment in the workplace, such as respect, autonomy, and recognition.” Gen Z, in particular, prioritises emotional compensation over financial rewards, given that many of their basic needs are already met.
Happiness in the workplace is more than just a feel-good concept — it's a key driver of productivity, employee engagement, and overall business success. “Think about how you feel when you’re happy”, Tata asks. “When you're happy, you're more magnanimous, more generous, innovative, creative, you have better health and suddenly, everything seems to be falling into place.” The energy gained from being happy is crucial for productivity.
Work From Home
Before the pandemic, we believed that in order to work, you needed to go into an office. But the pandemic brought with it an overnight digital transformation and people were now working remotely. They saved time from their commute and had more personal space. Simultaneously, employers started to worry about productivity levels and moonlighting. However, Tata points out that the efficiency can be easily monitored with the help of a reporting manager. Today, 50% of employees say that flexibility is no longer a luxury but a priority and in many cases a dealbreaker.
Appetite To Learn
With the emergence of new media, automation, AI and digitisation, the desire to learn new things is gaining prominence. People across different sections of organisations are asking for more consistent feedback, structured communication and the opportunity to learn new things. The study showed that when workplaces don’t seem thriving and fulfilling enough to them in terms of the culture and opportunities to grow and learn, the younger generation is more inclined to leave their job and start over in another.
Workplace Validation
The effects of social media where people seek and find validation and gratification easily have trickled down to the workplace. The harsh truth, Tata tells us, is that we are spoiled for acknowledgement — it is no longer a luxury but a necessity. People have started to see themselves as brands and with that comes a certain amount of self-cherishing within. “We want recognition from our bosses, peers and subordinates and we want it more and more often.”
The Employee Side Of Things
Wrapping up, Tata points out that sustainable happiness is found when there is an interplay between an employer and an employee, and both contribute towards a happier work culture. We live in an era of polarisation, where all fingers are pointed at one side or the other. But the fact is that there is duality. Employees also need to bring in certain personal resources like gratitude, resilience and self-care — that are within an individual’s locus of control (the degree to which people believe that they, as opposed to external forces, have control over the outcome of events in their lives).
