FEATURE-A Happier Workplace

By Timothy A. Edward

Happiness at the workplace should be one of our top priorities. Because, everywhere we look, there are potential stressful chaotic circumstances. Our modern way of living and working, with very limited interaction with nature adds to this syndrome. One of the major factors contributing to the building up of stress is our intra-and-interpersonal relations. 

If we are happy at work, then there is a strong possibility we will be happy with the other facets of our life as well. In this regard, emotional intelligence can play a big role in helping us to understand our persona and thereby enhance our interactions in our workplace and help us to regulate our stress levels.  

Father of Emotional Intelligence, Dainel Goleman, defines emotional intelligence as ‘the capacity for recognising our own feelings and those of others, for motivating ourselves, and for managing emotions well in ourselves and in our relationships.’

Nature and water

There is good stress and the bad. Stress mitigation experts say that regular exercise, nature, water and repetitive movements of left-right, left-right, help to release stress and bring about mind-body cohesion, where stress is maintained at a productive level. Such movements, carried out in a calm surrounding, can give our body and soul an opportunity to shift negative perspectives and relieve long-held anxieties.

Shared Responsibility

Making adjustments to transform our workplace into an environmentally friendly atmosphere is the responsibility of every employee. We cannot assign the responsibility solely to our employer or company. We all have a part to play in this.

Here are a few things that we can engage with to ensure a healthy, happy work environment within our organisations:

1. Constantly keeping in front of us our motivation and purpose for why we are doing what we are doing.
2. Learning a new skill or function which can be challenging yet enjoyable. Such activities can help us to stretch our minds and keep us agile.
3. Creating a culture of giving positive feedback and cultivating a spirit of active listening. When employees’ suggestions gets implemented, it gives them the assurance that they are being heard.  
4. Walk around the office. Tidy up the place. If possible, water some plants. Share an encouraging thought with a colleague. Such activities help circulation, stimulate creativity, and enhance focus. 
5. Take regular breaks. Organise a happy hour potluck luncheon. Include a game. These can help manage our feelings and stress.

Activities like these open opportunities for us to connect and interact with people. Every encounter can be a learning opportunity to build stronger interpersonal relations.  

Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence Model

Research has found out that people who have developed a higher degree of emotional intelligence are generally good at handling stress, they are better communicators, and are able to overcome challenges more easily.  

It is also an evidence-based fact that emotional intelligence is connected with many of the work-related outcomes, such as enhanced communication, higher job satisfaction, higher rate of staff retention, improved teamwork, achievement of targets and work performance. In short, research connects emotional intelligence with better health, superior job performance and psychological well-being.

There are five major domains that are key to developing one’s emotional intelligence in the workplace: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills. Generally, women score more in domains such as empathy and social skills, and whereas men when it comes to attributes such as confidence and stress tolerance.

1. Self-awareness

“Nobody learned anything whilst they were the one talking.” – Lyndon B. Johnson

2. Self-regulation

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal, it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill.

3. Motivation 

“Whether you think you can or whether you think you can’t, either way, you’re right.” – Henry Ford

4. Empathy

“No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” -Theodore Roosevelt

5. Social Skills

“Good communication is the bridge between confusion and clarity.” – Nat Turner

In light of the adage, ‘rule your feelings lest your feelings rule you,’ all the above domains are key to producing confidence, personal mastery, and deep insight. These are the chief cornerstones of happiness and thus emotional intelligence can be summed up as a collection of demonstrative talents that help us to be intelligent about one’s and others’ emotions. In view of the above, would you agree with Daniel Goleman that emotional intelligence is the new yardstick in making workplaces happier and more effective?

(The writer is a Business Psychologist, with specialisations in Law and Human Resources Development)