Securing buy-in from the top is critical to ensuring companies can unlock the productivity boost created by embedding happiness into their health and wellbeing strategies.
This is according to occupational coach Jenny Allen-Smith (pictured), who highlighted that it was a common misconception that success leads to happiness.
Speaking at a WPA webinar, Allen-Smith added that recent discoveries in psychology and neuroscience revealed this idea was actually the other way around and it is happiness that fuels success.
“When we’re positive, our brains are more motivated. We’re more engaged. We’re more creative. We’re energetic. We’re resilient,” Allen-Smith told delegates.
“We are more productive and again and again it has been shown that companies who engage their staff are more successful.
“Whether that is engaged in customer satisfaction, in innovation, in productivity or in solid profitability and growth in share value, but here’s the main benefit for me – studies show happy people even live longer.”
According to Allen Smith, key to creating this happiness at work lies in the the important connection between an employee’s purpose in their job role and their happiness at work.
She added firms should be seeking to reframe an employee’s purpose in a way that is meaningful and personal to them.
Message being heard
And it appears that as workers struggle in the aftermath of the pandemic and the ongoing cost of living crisis, the message appears to be cutting through to business leaders.
“I support a lot of organisations with mental health training, support for managers, all sorts of workshops about happiness and wellbeing,” Allen-Smith said.
“The key point is we really need this to be led from the top. It needs to form a key part of your wellbeing strategy.
“It’s about rolemodeling – really remembering that you as a leaders cast a shadow as leaders. Be aware of the shadow that you cast but also encourage your people to embrace the full spectrum of human emotion.”
But Allen-Smith added that it was important employees did not feel as if they needed to be happy all of the time.
“Actually that isn’t real life or the healthiest way to live because we have to embrace the full rainbow of human emotions,” she continued.
“If something sad happens to somebody, then embrace the feeling of being sad. Is the message getting through? I think it is but of course there is so much scope for improvement.”