CREATING A HAPPY WORKPLACE

When work is duty, life is slavery; when work is pleasure, life is joy.” These famous words of thinker, writer Maxim Gorky more than sum up the need for reinventing the present-day workplace. The fast-paced modern society has demolished many a beliefs about the workplace, created many and distorted some. Not that the workplace has not changed. It has changed and changed significantly. There is more speed, more technology and much more greed leading to astronomically high productivity.

However, whether all is well or not is a question that needs to be answered? Apparently yes. Salaries are shooting through the roof. Technology is providing a lot of leisure and there is significantly high output. The simplest assumption is that it is a win-win. The management and the employees, the shareholder and the vendors, everyone is gaining. Materially it seems to be a highly viable model. But is this sustainable also?

Though it will not be easy to conclude, yet given the various indications that can be noted about the state of the affairs of the workplace, we may be inclined to believe that all is not well. The frequent complaints about work-life balance, the rising number of workplace stress victims, the increase in the number of burnout cases are all suggestive that the workplace is not as hunky dory as it is made out to be.

Managements complain about the attrition rates, employees complain about a menace called 24x7x365. None is at peace. This cannot be sustainable. What is missing in all this seemingly colorful façade of the workplace is the realisation about the basic nature of the workforce. The workplace has changed. So has the mix and the appearance of the workforce. But the essence of the highly diverse workplace of today still remains the same. At the periphery, the members do appear to be technology-driven robots who are wired to the many variations of networks and dance at the click of the mouse. But in the core they remain emotional beings, who feel, think and who are moved more by connectivity of the head and the heart rather than the various programming languages that are developed to control their behaviour.

It needs to be understood that merely a good pay and pleasant work environment may not necessarily make them productive. Productivity depends upon the internal state of mind. The most important attribute determining productivity is the happiness of the employees. To make the workplace productive there is a need to think beyond the ritual and awaken the spiritual, the inner happiness of the employees. A happy worker is a productive worker if he perceives that happiness arises from the workplace.

It becomes extremely important for the managers to create a happy workplace. Happiness is contagious and happiness makes the workplace productive. Happy people tend to be much more productive and creative. They are willing to walk the extra mile. They are less likely to take leaves and are considered to be healthier.

How to do it? While models may not be easy to find, cues can be picked up from the leadership style of Herb Kelleher, the former CEO of South West Airlines. His philosophy was simple — “the employees come first”. Management thinker Kanter’s comment on Kelleher style is noteworthy: “Remarkable results are possible when employees are liberated to take charge of the rules and have fun on the job.’’ The key — look after your employees well.