Most of us have heard of “The Great Resignation,” the record number of people who left their jobs in 2020-2022 due to unhappiness in the workplace. An article in Forbes Magazine from January 20, 2014, titled “8 Common Causes of Workplace Demotivation” states that most people can’t say they truly love their jobs.
Studies show that 48 percent of employees worldwide don’t even like their jobs, more than 80 percent of U.S. workers feel stressed at the office, and only 30 percent feel “engaged and inspired” by their careers. What should really bother leaders and business owners is that 18 percent are actively disengaged – they’re present at work, but they hate every minute of it.
To examine some more depressing reality, let’s do a little math. We’ve all heard the saying that people spend more waking hours at work than they do with their family. According to a survey conducted by Gallup in the summer of 2014, the new average for most full-time workers has risen to 46-47 hours per week. That basically means workers are only getting one true day off instead of the normal two days off.
But wait, what if you’re one of the lucky ones whose full-time job is 40 hours a week? You still spend about 50 waking hours per week at work (factoring in the average half hour commute and one hour lunch break) vs. about 62 waking hours at home. That’s just a little less than half of our waking lives spent at work.
So, to put it simply: a lot of us are unhappy campers in our workplaces and we’re spending a big ol’ chunk of our lives there. To prevent all of us from wanting to leap off the top of the nearest cliff or tallest building, let’s examine how we can turn this picture around – and do it quickly.
The good news is that two of the biggest causes for the previously mentioned workplace demotivation are within our control – unpleasant co-workers and boredom. But wait, we can’t really change other people, right? True, but we can make certain we’re not one of those unpleasant co-workers.
And we can take easy steps to genuinely brighten everyone’s workday, even the Mr. and Mrs. Grumpy Butts of the world. And these steps not only reduce boredom, but they also kick it to the curb!
Being positive and joyful isn’t just a fluffy-cutesy-nice thing to do each day – it increases productivity and is super-important for any company or organization. Gallup research has shown for years that strong work friendships boost employee satisfaction by 50 percent and people with a best friend at work are seven times more likely to engage fully in their tasks.
We don’t have to have our “best buds in the world” at work, but we do need to be able to relax around our colleagues and enjoy their company.
Forbes also states in a more hopeful March 6, 2017, article “Millennials, Here’s Why You’re Dissatisfied at Work” that studies show a clear link between strong employee ties and a business’s overall output.
As team bonds strengthen, productivity and sales increase – 31 to 37 percent on average, according to the Harvard Business Review. This magazine also revealed in a January 2012 article that research proves when people work with a positive mindset, performance on nearly every level – productivity, creativity, engagement – improves.
Most people think that happiness is something we arrive at versus create within ourselves. But Folks, it’s up to us to change to a more joyful mindset – and to spread that joy to others, whether we’re at an entry level, middle, or top position in a company or organization. We can make a huge difference by doing quick, simple stuff each day to improve our workplaces.
I look forward to sharing more with you in 2024! Happy Holidays to all my readers.
Amy Shankland is a writer and fundraising professional living in Noblesville with her husband John, two sons, two dogs and a cat. You can reach her via email at amys@greenavenue.info.