What makes people happy at work? In the book that summarizes the longest scientific study on happiness, conducted by Harvard over a period of 85 years with 2,000 participants, the researchers conclude that it is neither money nor conditions that create happiness… but relationships with others.
Published in January by Simon editions
Professional happiness is not only possible, but it is conditional on a happy and fulfilled life, researchers say.
Here are their conclusions, in five points, for being happy at work.
“If you could stop working without losing your income, would you do it? What would you do instead? » It is with these two questions that the chapter on work begins. The authors point out that billions of people get up every morning, all over the world, to go to work – and that for most of them, it is only to provide for themselves and their families. To develop a feeling of attachment to your work, you must find (or give) meaning to it. This is crucial to flourishing, emphasize the authors.
The two researchers explain that successes at work are more rewarding when they are “relational”, in other words when they connect with others or have an impact on others. “When what we do matters to others, it matters more to us,” they say. The social benefit counts a lot in the feeling of competence, pride and belonging. This can involve teamwork, having a direct influence on others, or even the satisfaction of telling your family or friends about your personal successes.
Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz noted that study participants found questions related to workplace friendships “absurd and irrelevant.” And yet… In certain professional circles, friendships between colleagues are frowned upon, as if they negatively influence productivity. But the two experts argue that it is quite the opposite that happens! Research shows that “people who have a best friend at work are more engaged than those who don’t.” This special relationship reduces stress, improves the physical and mental health of workers and reduces the number of days they return home frustrated.
A mentoring program within the company benefits both mentors and mentees. For many workers, “encouraging others is more important than personal accomplishments,” the authors say. With this in mind, a company-supported mentoring program can make almost “any job more rewarding” since “sharing wisdom and experience is a natural part of life at work.” The benefits of the mentor-mentee relationship go far beyond the circle of the two people and radiate throughout the company, note the co-directors of the study.
With colleagues, subordinates, bosses, customers, suppliers, housekeeping staff… all contacts at work contribute to happiness. There is no such thing as a “small” or trivial relationship, regardless of sector of activity or hierarchical rank. “A large proportion of the happiest women and men in our study maintain positive relationships with their work and with the people they meet at work,” reveal Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz. They remind us that contrary to the popular adage that “life is not work”, life is not on hold “the moment we set foot in the office”, since “work is ‘is also life’!
