Step Up held its second Summer Series event this year, Bringing Joy to Work fueled by Joy Bites, to explore ways we can all incorporate more joy into the workplace for our colleagues and ourselves. The insights shared during this session and those we will explore below are certainly important now more than ever as we continue to navigate work-from-home and as we gradually move back to in-person settings.
The Importance of Joy
Evidence shows that happy workers are more productive. According to Patrick Lencioni, author of The Truth About Employee Engagement, this reasoning "boils down to wanting to feel like who you are matters, that what you do has an impact and you're making progress." A 2018 study cited in the Harvard Business Review similarly echoes this reasoning and goes on to say that "employees who believe their company makes a positive contribution and who feel personally committed to achieving the company's vision and strategy" experience the most joy at work.
Burnout
The importance of fostering a culture at work which embodies the above is demonstrated by the alternative which may arise in its absence – burnout. While not a medical diagnosis, burnout can affect both your physical and mental health and can be caused by a variety of factors including a lack of social support, work-life imbalances, and dysfunctional workplace dynamics to name a few. Moreover, a study by Indeed shows that those who work from home are more likely to say that burnout has worsened over the course of the pandemic, with likely causal factors that include a lack of work-life balance, being unable to disconnect form the office, and the inability to take time off along with a lack of boundaries.
Needless to say, it is to everyone's benefit – yourself, that of your coworkers, and your organization as a whole – when joy is present at work.
How to Foster Joy
So, what steps can we take to infuse joy into our workplace? We've included some recommendations below along with additional resources for further reading. While this is certainly not an exhaustive list, we hope it will inspire you to start finding ways to foster joy at your workplace!
Alex Liu – host of Joy@Work, a podcast uncovering the transformative power of joy with business leaders, authors, and influencers
- Make joy an explicit purpose so all employees feel heard, recognized, and acknowledged.
- Staff your new programs so that joint teamwork delivers maximum impact, shared success, and fun!
- Encourage and celebrate individual and organization-wide social impact efforts.
Marie Kondo – world-renowned organizing expert with a new book Joy at Work: Organizing Your Professional Life
- Identify a clear spot for your work with only the items that are crucial to getting work done, along with one thing that sparks joy when you look at it.
- Prioritize meeting invitations that are essential to getting your job done and ensuring a successful future (it is ok to turn down non-essential meetings).
- Organize decisions into 3 categories: low, medium, and high-stakes (prioritize the latter, and automate or delegate the rest).
- Make your network a source of joy – people you like spending time with, who care about your development and success, and with whom you're comfortable seeking guidance from and giving advice to.
Mayo Clinic – how to spot burnout and take action
- Get some exercise.
- Get some sleep.
- Practice mindfulness.
- Seek support from co-workers, supervisors, family members, and friends.
And finally, in case you missed it or just want to experience the conversation again, watch our second Summer Series event: Bringing Joy to Work fueled by Joy Bites for insights on creating workplaces fueled by joy. Briana Carbajal, City of Los Angeles council member and Step Up Class of 2017 alumnae, moderated an inspiring and joy-filled discussion between Jill Beveridge, Vice President of Innovation at Russel Stover Chocolates, and Daphne Oz, Emmy-winning TV host and NY Times bestselling author.
Bringing Joy to Work fueled by Joy Bites
What step(s) will you take to bring joy into your workplace? Let us know in the comments below
