How Happiness Can Help You Advance Your Career
The results are in. LinkedIn released the findings from their latest survey on career happiness at the Texas Conference for Women this past week. They surveyed more than 12,000 professionals, men and women, and found that 63 percent of professionals globally (66% of professionals in the U.S.) said they are “happy” or “very happy” with their current job.
Are you surprised by this large percentage? Quite frankly, I was. I also found it significant that 52% of the global respondents (52% of the U.S. respondents as well) believe that if they work hard and demonstrate results, they will advance in their company. In fact, there is a direct correlation between happiness at work and career advancement.
In her book, Happiness at Work: Maximizing Your Psychological Capital for Success, author Jessica Pryce-Jones states that her research on the subject revealed that happy people:
- Get promoted more.
- Earn more.
- Get more support.
- Generate better and more creative ideas
- Achieve goals faster
- Interact better with colleagues and bosses
- Receive superior reviews
- Learn more
- Achieve greater success
- Are healthier
Are we really all that happy at work?
There is no doubt that our current economy affects these results. LinkedIn’s Connection Director, Nicole Williams notes, “A tough economy can make professionals appreciate facets of their job they might otherwise overlook when business is booming,” said Williams.
Can we change our mindset if we are less than happy at work?
Author Pryce-Jones states that you can make yourself happier at work.
The easiest place to start is by being more mindful and aware of your situation. All that involves is stepping back to recognize how you feel in any given moment – and why. Doing this is one of the easiest ways to build your psychological capital and to protect it too…other people have an effect on how you feel and you’ll have an effect on them too. Being mindful of that is the first step towards understanding that although work can’t “make” you happy, you can make yourself happier at work.
There is also an increased awareness that the benefits of being happy are significant. Perhaps that is why there is such a surge of books on the topic lately. We understand the benefits and want to learn more about how we can increase our happiness. When we are happy, we are healthier. Happiness boosts our immune system. And now we also know that being happy at work has a positive impact on our performance and career advancement.
Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. ~A Schweitzer
Are You Happy at Work?
In this current recession, one would think that anyone who has a job at this point would be happy to be gainfully employed. Research tells us that this in not the case. In fact, in a recent article in The Wall Street Journal, author Sue Shellenbarger speaks of a growing need and trend for “happiness coaching” in the workplace.
Shellenbarger says, “Employee satisfaction has hit the lowest level in the 22 year history of the Conference Board’s annual survey on the topic. Only 45% of U.S. workers are satisfied with their jobs, down from 52% in 2005 and 61% in 1987, says this 5,000 household study.”
The recent emphasis on “happiness coaching” at work is supported with business cases that show employees’ positive attitudes are good for business. Companies with more satisfied employees earn higher profit and better customer satisfaction ratings and their employees miss less work.
According to Shellenbarger, “A 2001 study at the University of Michigan says people who are experiencing joy or contentment are able to think more broadly and creatively, accepting a wider variety of possible actions…..”
Let’s face it. We all experience some degree of dissatisfaction with our employment at one time or another; that’s reality. The focus of this current trend of “happiness coaching” is to create your own contentment and joy from within. The premise is that if you are happy with yourself, you are less likely to be affected dramatically by negative influences. Your inner peace creates a shield in a way from any external negative forces.
Any activity or practice that helps you achieve this inner contentment and joy is recommended; exercise, yoga, meditation, daily success or gratitude journals. All of these contribute to a positive state of mind.
For women, it is especially important to learn to “let go” of the negative influences at work whether they be conflict with a co-worker or your boss. “Letting go” of negative emotions and conflict is often a challenge for women. This affects their job satisfaction.
Focus on what is meaningful about your work. Look for ways to infuse your life with positivity. If there is too much dissatisfaction with your current position that it is impossible to find anything positive, it’s time to move on. Life is too short.
Just make sure that you don’t bring your negative frame of mind with you to your next job!
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