How to Be Happier at Work

While International Day of Happiness takes place this week on March 20, research from Lee Hecht Harrison Penna (LHH Penna), a global people management firm, shows that many employees are struggling to look on the bright side. The new study shows that over a third of employees view their work in a negative light.

Employee anxiety

The research found that 14 percent associate work with being unhappy, while nearly one in 10 would go as far to describe their work as “horrible.” Anxiety was also found to be a common cause of employee grief, with a fifth of employees claiming their work caused them stress and angst. It was also found to be a greater problem among women, with a quarter describing their work as anxiety-inducing, compared to just 16 percent of men.

Work/Life Blur

Nick Goldberg at LHH Penna said, “With our working life and private life becoming increasingly integrated, unhappiness at work can easily spill over and become all-consuming. While it is encouraging to see that 38 percent of employees have only positive things to say about work, our research also shows that more needs to be done by both the employee and employer to improve workplace happiness. Today marks a good day for employees to ask themselves if they are truly happy at work, and if not, to ask themselves why and what steps they can take to address it.” Here are a few ways you can improve your outlook on work.

1. Prioritize your personal life.

Make sure you have other activities in your life beside work to help detract from any negativity. After work and on the weekends, make sure you switch off both mentally and physically and spend time doing the things you love most.

2. Take initiative.

If you’re finding work repetitive and boring, proactively seek out opportunities for more diverse work, whether that’s asking for a role in another division, taking on new responsibilities, or volunteering yourself for training. Your employer will also commend you for taking initiative.

3. Be honest.

If you’re committed to making a change, then find a time to sit down and chat with someone senior about the cause of your grievances. The likelihood is that they will want to do all within their powers to help make work a happier place for you.

4. Change can be good.

If you are unhappy at work, then take matters into your own hands. While changing your career or job may seem like a daunting prospect, it could be what you need to be truly happy again at work.

5. Start to socialize.

We spend the majority of our lives within the office, therefore building strong relationships with your colleagues can help to add comic relief or serve as a support system when you’re having a difficult day.