Extraordinary people at work

Jorge Munoz is a school bus driver who lives in Queens, New York. Every day when he comes home after a full day at work, he rests for about 10 minutes, grabs a cup of coffee and starts his second job.

This second job doesn’t pay in dollars (it actually costs him money to do it), instead Jorge says he gets paid every time he sees a smile on the face of the people he serves.

Jorge spends about half of his salary, about $700 a week, to prepare and serve food to hungry people under a subway stop in Queens.

"The smiles on their faces, when see they got something to eat....aaaaah, [We're] feeding [more than] a hundred people," Munoz says passionately. "If you change the life of one guy, that's enough..." (Huffington Post)

Here’s a video of his story:

Bring your (inner) child to work day

Time to get your dodgeballs and jump ropes ready, this Thursday, June 18, marks the sixth annual Recess at Work Day.

Held every year on the third Thursday in June, it’s a day set aside for “employees and employers to take a break from the stress of today’s economic worries and celebrate their successes.”

“It has been proven that breaks are essential for satisfaction,” says Rich DiGirolamo, founder of Recess at Work Day. “Breaks lead to satisfaction; and satisfaction easily transfers to increase morale, reduced employee stress, more engaged and healthier employees; ultimately having a positive impact on productivity, absenteeism and profits.”

There are no set rules to the day, just a mission to take a break from our daily work routines and get engaged in something fun with your peers.

It could be as simple as starting up a game of dodgeball or adding a new event to your office Olympics competition, as long as it gets you away from your desk and into something fun.

What are your thoughts on Recess at Work Day? Just a silly idea, or something to get excited about? Could you see your office participating?

Leave a comment and let us know.

Go ahead, leave work earlier today. It’s a holiday.

Today is the 5th annual “Leave the Office Earlier” day. No, we’re not making this up, you can read the press release.

Productivity expert and best-selling author, Laura Stack created the holiday based on the idea that most employees are dealing with increasingly heavier workloads by spending significantly more time at work. “Leave the Office Earlier” day is a way to get employees and employers to agree to limit their time at the office to eight hours, at least just for a day.

New productivity statistics show that most of us could probably use a break. During the first quarter of 2009, U.S. workers, who are already the most productive in the world, improved productivity by 1.1 percent in the business sector, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

"Given today's economy, the eight-hour work day will probably remain a myth to working Americans for the foreseeable future," says Stack. "June 2nd isn't about playing hooky or ditching work sooner. It's an opportunity for people to focus on changing work patterns, adjusting priorities, and engaging in conversations to find ways to achieve work/life balance while improving workplace productivity."

Another study by Corporate Voices for Working Families, revealed that workplace flexibility benefits employers and individual employees in such areas as productivity, customer service, employee work-life effectiveness, stress and well-being.

Eight out of ten employers and employees surveyed also said flexibility is important to recruitment and retention. Additionally, flexible schedules and innovative time-off policies help companies become an “employer of choice” for younger workers, according to the study.

Whether you think it needs an official holiday or not, workplace flexibility is quickly growing as a popular benefit that many job hunters in today’s labor market are looking for. But with the recession thinning out offices and putting more work on a smaller group of employees, some are finding it harder than ever to take that much-needed break.

Maybe a holiday like “Leave the Office Earlier” day is exactly what we need. What do you think?

Will you be participating in “Leave the Office Earlier” day? Do you think we should recognize the day each year? Or do you think we should stop watching the clock and get back to work?

Worried workers opting-out at vacation time

This is usually the time of year when employees start handing in vacation requests for time off during the summer, but this year is proving to be a little different.

Along with our bank accounts, Americans’ summer vacations are taking a serious hit because of the bad economy, according to a recent CNN article.

This year, employees are worried that taking a temporary vacation could turn into a permanent one. The risk of losing their jobs has more American workers choosing the office rather than some much needed time off.

But even when the economy was good, Americans still found it hard to take vacations. Studies conducted over the years have shown that we just don’t know how to let go of work and relax.

Expedia.com, the travel reservation company, recently released the results of their survey comparing the vacation habits of different cultures across the globe.

While we’re not as bad as Japanese workers, who are the least interested in taking vacations with about 92% of workers not using all of their vacation days. Over a third (34%) of Americans don’t take all the vacation time they earn each year.

Compared to French and German workers, of which 22% and 24% don’t use all of their vacation time, it sounds like most of us are in need of a nice long vacation.

Workers who continually opt-out of vacation time tend to be overworked, overwhelmed and on the verge of burn out. But the guilt some workers feel when taking a vacation can be just as bad.

How can managers help their employees feel comfortable that they’ll still have a job after handing in that vacation request form? Here are a few tips:

• Lead by example. The best way to show employees that it’s ok to take time off is to do it yourself. If they see that you were able to disconnect from work and relax, they’ll feel more comfortable using their vacation time.


• Suggest staycations. Taking a vacation closer to home is a great solution for the employee who’s stressed they’ll miss something big if they’re too far away. A staycation (vacation in your home town) can help employees find relaxation without traveling or spending too much money.


• Have a plan. Employees will be more willing to go on vacation if they know there isn’t a big project coming up. Plan vacations around big events and allow workers to delegate their tasks to coworkers they trust to get the work done.

Take a look at these related posts for more tips and advice on taking work-free vacations:

Work/life balancing act has more moms burnt out

Go on vacation without worrying about work, 6 tips

Work/life balance: Simply a matter of choice?

New employee vacation trend: Staycations

Work/life balancing act has more moms burnt out

Spending quality time with family was at the top of most moms’ “to-do” lists this Mother’s Day, according to CareerBuilder’s annual Mother’s Day survey.

We hope they were able to check it off their list this weekend, but even during an average week our current economy is making it harder than ever to balance work and home.

Some working moms say they’re having a hard time finding work/life balance as they take on extra hours and second jobs as the economy falters, according to the survey of almost 500 women, who were employed full-time, with children under the age of 18.

The survey also found that:

• 30% of working moms, whose employers have had layoffs in the past year, are working longer hours and 14% have taken on second jobs to help make ends meet.
• 34% of working moms reported they are burned out.
• 40% fear losing their jobs today more than they did 12 months ago.
• 43% work more than 40 hours per week.
• 16% bring work home at least twice a week.
• 6% bring work home every workday.

“Nearly one-third say that despite it being one of the toughest economies in the nation’s history, they would even consider taking a pay cut to spend more time with their kids. If you’re struggling with work/life balance, talk to your manager.

Working moms who communicate their need for flexible time, job sharing or something in between will find that most companies are receptive to these kinds of policies,” said Mary Delaney, President of CareerBuilder’s talent management and recruitment outsourcing division, Personified, and mother of three.

The survey revealed that many working moms’ would gladly accept alternative schedules in order to spend more time with their children. More than half (55%) of working moms already take advantage of flexible work arrangements at their organizations, and most say that their decision has not adversely affected their career progress.

Whether you’re a working mom searching for work/life balance or just an average employee on the verge of burnout, follow these tips to reduce work stress and find balance:

• Take a vacation. It’s the most tried and true method for finding relaxation and getting some perspective on your situation. Even if you don’t leave town, use your vacation time to determine the source of your stress and find a way to change it.


• Talk to your boss. Sit down and have a serious conversation with your manager about finding a work arrangement that will help you achieve better work/life balance and improve your productivity. Whether it’s coming in early or working a few days from home, there’s always an alternative option out there.


• Set boundaries. Avoid bringing work home at all costs. Do your best to get it all done during the workday, but know that it’s not the end of the world if some unfinished tasks make it on tomorrow’s to-do list.


• Get out and play. Take time out each day to play with your kids. If you don’t have kids, take an hour or two out of your day to spend with friends, exercise and/or meditate. Eliminate distractions by turning off your cell phone and computer.

Also take a look at:

Burned out at work or bad day? Know the difference and how to beat it

How to feel happier at work ... instantly

I’m Not Stressed – That Pencil Had It Coming!!!

Are you living to work or working to live

Change puts engagement and productivity at risk

Bringing kids to work may improve morale

If your company has been searching for affordable ways to improve morale, you may need to look no further than your employees’ families.

Next Thursday, April 23, 2009, is the national date for the Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work program. While opening a child’s eyes to what their parents do for a living, the program can also serve as an inexpensive way to boost employee morale.

The yearly event exposes children to what their parents do during the workday, showing them the value of education and what their future can hold. Though the program is centered around kids, bringing children into the workplace for a day may hold even more benefits for employers.

Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day benefits workplaces by providing an important boost to workers and their families, while keeping costs to a minimum. Holding a family day at work can foster employees’ pride in their work, which will ultimately improve performance.

Think kids would be bored senseless at your workplace? Take a look at some of these educational ideas and activities that just about every organization can incorporate, including:

• Hold hands-on department workshops. From Accounting to Human Resources, create activities where children use their problem-solving skills to tackle real workplace issues like managing a budget or interviewing new job candidates.


• Give a tour. Take children on a tour of your workplace starting at the front desk and make your way through every department of the organization. Show children how your product or service is developed from beginning to end.


• Have a brown-bag lunch. Have families eat together in the main lunchroom and set up an interactive Q & A session with the head of the company. Have your CEO explain what they do and allow children to ask questions on anything they would like to know about the job.

Whether you’re able to allocate a full day to the event, or just a half-day, giving employees the opportunity to share what they do with their families can have a positive impact on their work.

Discover more resources, activity guides and ideas at the Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work official website.

Warning! Happy employees may rap on the job

Want to see a great example of a happy employee who loves their job? Watch this ...



Think an unhappy employee would ever spend that much time putting together a rap about their employer? I doubt it.

Happy Friday!

Improve a process, boost productivity and morale

If you’ve been traveling recently, you’ve probably taken notice of an interesting change in the way airlines do business - cashless flights. Many major airlines are no longer accepting cash for in-flight services and only taking credit.

On the outside it may seem like a simple business decision that modernized a dated process, but for those on the inside it has made a considerable impact on the way they work.

Mark Mader at the Smartsheet blog told a story last week about how Alaska Airlines improved a process that was working “just fine” and found that the change impacted more than just the cost of doing business.

“As I saw the flight attendant slowly make her way to row 26, I thought, "why would Alaska give up the 2-4% margin to the credit card companies?". Following the first beverage service, I headed back to the galley to ask Cindy, the lead flight attendant, what she thought of moving away from the simple cash transaction.”

He asked the flight attendant how the new process has impacted the way she does her job. She answered, "I LOVE it!"

Switching to the cashless process made her job significantly better by eliminating the chance that she’ll forget to give someone their change, having to remember who rented digital movie players and putting an end to the tedious and stressful process of managing cash throughout the flight.

Though most processes are a necessary part of business, some may be more of a burden than a blessing when it comes to helping employees get their jobs done.

If we can find ways to simplify people’s jobs and reduce their stress, whether it’s through streamlining a work process or through employee training, they’ll appreciate it and be happier at work because of it.

Fixing that one tiresome process can snowball from happier employees to an overall improvement in productivity and morale across the company. Find ways to help employees get their jobs done more efficiently and they’ll be saying ‘thank you’ in the quality of their work.

Friday office humor: Peanuts and a cube

What do you get when you have a few thousand pieces of packing popcorn and a coworker’s vulnerable cubicle? ... One funny office prank.

It’s Friday - watch the video below, have a little laugh and hope your coworkers aren’t planning to pull a stunt like this with your cube. Then protect yourself from any work-related brain damage and go home. Happy Friday!

Working long hours causes brain damage, go home

Looking for reasons to cut out early this Friday afternoon? Tell your boss that working long hours causes brain damage ... and you have the research to prove it.

New research from University College London and the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health suggests long working hours may raise the risk of mental decline and possibly dementia.

As part of the largest study of its kind, researchers analyzed 2,214 middle-aged UK civil servants using cognitive tests in 1997-99 and again in 2002-04.

The first set of tests were administered to two groups of people, one group of employees who worked more than 55 hours a week and the other group worked 35 to 40 hours a week.

The first group performed significantly worse in vocabulary tests than those employees who worked less hours. Follow-up tests mirrored the original findings in that employees who worked more than 55 hours a week performed worse on vocabulary tests and cognitive reasoning.

“The effects were cumulative, the longer the working week, the worse the test results. Employees with long working hours also had shorter sleeping hours, reported more symptoms of depression and used more alcohol than those with normal working hours.”

So when you’re skipping out of the office early today, just let your boss know that it’s for your health. Have a happy Friday!

On hugs, stimulus packages and shoes: This week’s must-reads

There’s a ton of great information out there this week, so much that breaking it up and discussing it all separately would take months. Instead, we’ll just direct you strait to the sources of all it. Here’s some of the best HR and training related information posted on the Web this week:


Try to give hugs to more people at work. After just four sips of wine, read how Brazen Careerist Penelope Trunk made an amazing discovery - hugging in the workplace can make you happier. If President Barack Obama can bring hugging into the White House, you can find a way to bring it into your workplace.


While we’re talking about Obama, he just signed the $787 billion stimulus package that included some important HR action items. The team at G.Neil’s HR Forum put together a quick overview of how the stimulus plan will impact HR and U.S. businesses.


Obama signed the billion dollar stimulus package yesterday and now is the time for the Leadership Development Economic Stimulus Package, according to Dan McCarthy at Great Leadership. The total cost of Dan’s plan is only a fraction of that Obama signed, but the impact on business leadership would be huge.


Put yourself in their shoes. Knowing your audience will put you on the road to success when designing your next training program. Take some advice from Chris Morgan at Learn2Develop, put yourself in the shoes of your trainees and look at your training from a new perspective.


Is the traditional training course dead? If so, technology is the killer. Technology gives us the power to learn what we need to know, when we need to know it and most of what we learn is through informal methods. Learn more about the potential death of the instructor-led training course by reading this Training Zone article by Vaughan Waller.

Can you train yourself to be happy at work?

You can train for a marathon, you can train employees to follow safety rules at work, but is it possible to train yourself to be happy at work?

Karl Staib, author of Work Happy Now!, believes that by eliminating complaining out of your day it can force a positive change in your life and at work.

Karl recently signed himself up for a personal “No Complaining” 30-day challenge and discovered how putting situations in a positive light had the power to change attitudes of people around him, as well as his own attitude.

He explains how it basically comes down to how you phrase things:

“I might say, “I don’t feel like going to work today. I’m tired. My job doesn’t give me any incentive to work hard.” This is just whining. If I rephrase it and say, “I’ve been working really hard on this project and I need a break.” Then we start to turn the complaining into something more positive. If I rephrase it again and say, “Going to work is probably not the best choice for me right now, but I need to work on this important project.” Then we get into more of a “sharing complaining” territory.

You could say in a boisterous voice, “I’m going to work today and even though I’m tired, I’m going to accomplish great work.” It doesn’t sound so much like complaining, but reinforcing a positive state of mind. We all know it’s still complaining, but it’s a lot easier to handle for the people who have to listen.”

He followed two methods to reduce complaining:

1. If you complain about something, redirect your thoughts to something positive.

Instead of saying, “Arrgh, why do I have to do this report over? I wish they would make up their minds.”

Say, “Okay, they might not be right, but I don’t know all the reasons behind their decisions. I’ll redo this report and also take mental notes on how I would handle this situation. When I become an owner/manager I won’t make the same mistakes.”

Understand that the experience, whether positive or not, can be used to improve our skills. Looking at it in a positive light makes you feel like you have control over the situation where you may have felt powerless before.


2. Rephrase the complaint before you say it.

You’re thinking, “Arrgh, why do I have to do this report over?”

Rephrase that thought by saying, “Hmm, it’s interesting that they want me to do this report over.”


Flipping the complaint into a positive statement or rephrasing it can mean the difference between having a horrible day or a great one. Finding a way to enjoy the situation, even if it’s not how you originally intended it to turn out, will help you have a better day and be happier at work.

Here’s how Karl sums up his 30-day “No Complaining” challenge:

“No Complaining” for thirty days made me aware of many areas of my thoughts and emotions that were invisible before this challenge. This month has given me the most personal improvement I’ve seen all year. It helps to take a microscope to your inner thoughts. I’ve taken my work happiness to a whole new level.

Read more about Karl’s “No Complaining” challenge at Work Happy Now!

So, do you think you can train yourself to be happy at work? Do you think it’s a worthwhile experiment to try?

Why happiness at work matters and how you can still have it

Alex Kjerulf, aka The Chief Happiness Officer, is one of the world’s top experts on happiness at work and author of the bestselling book: Happy Hour is 9 to 5 - How to Love Your Job, Love Your Life and Kick Butt at Work.

During a recent interview with Terrence Seamon of the American Management Association (AMA), he explained how happiness at work is no longer a luxury and is now essential to business success.

Even in the midst of crisis and without any room in the budget, companies can still focus on happiness at work. They must, according to Kjerulf. When you’re going through tough times, it’s critical to have people performing at their best. If people are happy at work and treated well by their employer, they will do anything they can to help the company succeed.

In the absence of a large budget, companies are forced to get creative with employee motivation and many times, it is the simplest idea that has the best results, says Kjerulf.

Find out more about the power of happiness at work, why the happiest companies are the most successful and the importance of saying good morning in this quick, 15 minute podcast.

You can hear the entire podcast here.


Related posts:

Why the happiest companies are so happy

Creativity, innovation and happiness at work

Employee training videos that won’t put you to sleep

It’s your first day on the job. Your manager has you fill out a few forms, gives you a tour of the building and then takes you to the back room to watch an employee training video.

All of the sudden you’re sleepy, very sleepy and thinking this would be a great time to catch a little power nap, right?

But what if employee training videos were actually enjoyable enough that trainees would want to stay awake while they’re playing ... maybe even retain something?

Think it could never happen?

Well, thanks to YouTube, we have video evidence that entertaining employee training videos once existed. Back in 1989, Wendy’s created a new hire training video that put some fun into the learning process and is even more fun to look back on now.

Here it is (just remember, this is 1989):




Whether employees laughed at the video or thought the rapper in a sparkly green polo shirt was cool, Wendy’s found a way to make flipping burgers not so boring. It was one small gesture that may have had a big influence on the way workers thought of their new employer.

Work a little bit of fun into your training program and your employees will appreciate it. Even if the final product is a little cheesy, you’ll be laughing in 10 years, I promise.

A new outlook: How optimism at work pays off

After watching Barack Obama take the oath of office and become the 44th president of the United States, a renewed feeling of optimism has swept over our country.

Despite our economic situation and the problems it has caused in our workplaces, today is a day to put those issues aside and focus on the future.

"Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier." -- Colin Powell

In his book titled, Straight Talk for Success, Bill Bilanich wrote a chapter on “Optimism” that provides useful advice given the economic situation we’re facing, according to Steve Roesler at All Things Workplace.

Bud notes that optimism not only propels us toward our goals but allows people to experience hopefulness. In a crisis, optimists see problems as temporary. They don't blame themselves and they don't feel doomed. He also offers some factoids related to optimism:

• 75% of Americans consider themselves to be optimists.
• 99% of workers prefer a positive job environment. (No surprise there!).
• 90% of people say they are more productive around positive people.

Though we can’t do much to fix the economy, Bilanich suggests there are a few actions you can take to stay optimistic during these times of uncertainty:

• Stop wasting your time on issues that can’t be changed. Instead, focus on what you can do to change the parts of your life that you have control over.
• Understand and tap into your natural strengths.
• When a problem arises, mentally rehearse how you will handle it.
• Concentrate on the positive things in life and work.
• Focus your thoughts on the possibilities of a situation rather than its limitations.

What techniques do you use to fight negativity at work?

Tips for the holidays, HR-style

Tomorrow is Christmas and all of us at TrainingTime would like to wish all of you a very merry holiday and a happy New Year. Here’s a short list of the best holiday-related posts from a few of our favorite blogs:

Have a mixture of religions in your organization and don’t wan to offend anyone? Take Kris Dunn’s advice and wish them a Happy Festivus. Check out today’s post at The HR Capitalist, complete with a classic Seinfeld video.

‘Tis the Season … to start thinking about next year. Today, Tim Tolan at Fistful of Talent is offering a friendly reminder to get started on your plans and goals for 2009 before the ball drops on New Year’s.

Yesterday, Laurie Ruettimann gave some valuable Punk Rock HR advice on company holiday parties and corporate giving. Just remember, whether you’re having a swanky holiday party or an ugly Christmas sweater event, don’t call her to plan it.

From rigorous training to dealing with thousands of dissatisfied customers, Santa has his work cut out for him. From all of the clips Julie Ferguson at HR Web Café shared with us on Monday, you can see what a tough job the big guy has every Christmas season.

How to improve the workplace, tips from Dilbert

Anyone who works for a big company can relate to the characters and story lines Scott Adams shares in his Dilbert comic strip. From a “dicey” start in the early years of his business career to the trials of owning two successful California restaurants, Adams has used real-life experiences in middle management to create America’s most lovable corporate drone.

In a recent interview with Fortune, Adams shared his thoughts on creating career stability and how the corporate workplace could use some improvements. For starters, corporations could stop worrying about employees’ every move and treat workers better when tough times roll around.

“One thing that's definitely worse is that employers have a much greater ability to monitor employees' every move. They can count the keystrokes on your computer, keep track of where you go on the Internet, and so on. It's creepy. But the big macro change now is, employers are a lot nicer when the economy is strong, because they know you have choices and can go elsewhere if they don't keep you happy. When times are bad, the gloves come off and employers are less nice. People become disposable.”

Though he doesn’t typically give advice, he wrote a book years ago called The Dilbert Principle, about how he thinks the ideal workplace should be organized. Here’s Adams’ advice for human resource professionals:

“If you don't have a lot of money to give people, then give them two other things. One is flexibility. Allow people to have a life outside of work. Does an employee have a reasonable chance of leaving the office on time, which I define as 5 p.m.? I mean, is that extra hour or two or three that people put in, in the evening, really necessary?

And second, give them at least half an hour every day to learn something they don't already know. Lots of surveys of employee happiness show that keeping people happy in their jobs really isn't so much about money anyway, it's about these other things that many companies don't think to offer. Work is like the rest of life. The best parts are free.”

And just for fun, here’s a Dilbert comic to get your Monday off to a great start

Training Trends: PTO, the Grinch at work and religious diversity

The December issue of Training Trends was released today, with information every workplace can use during the holidays. This month’s topics include how to handle confusing PTO policies, “Grinch” behavior around the office and managing religious diversity.

Each month, TrainingTime.com shares all of the latest and greatest tips, trends and buzz from the across the training industry. If you’re not on our mailing list, please take a minute to sign up for Training Trends to have the latest training news delivered to your inbox each month.

Here’s a quick look at the December edition:

Top 10 Things Not to Do with Your PTO

Switching to a Paid Time Off (PTO) system gives employees more freedom to schedule their time, but there are some drawbacks. From “last-minute use” policies and harsh requirements, putting a new PTO system in place can be confusing. Here’s a more lighthearted look at the top 10 things you shouldn’t do with your PTO ... (full article)


Don’t be a Grinch at Work This Holiday Season

Employees who have fun at work have proven to be more loyal, productive and more willing to go the extra mile when crunch time comes. The holidays offer a great opportunity to bring more happiness and fun into the workplace. Here are some simple and affordable ideas to fill the need for fun at work this holiday season ... (full article)


Making Religious Diversity Work at Work

The month of December shines a spotlight on the religious differences among employees each year. What’s the best way to handle religious diversity at work? Embrace it. Embracing religious differences within the office is good for business and good for employees. Here’s why ... (full article)

It only takes a minute to sign up for Training Trends and you will be all set to receive the best training information each month. If you’re a HR or training expert and are interested in writing content for Training Trends or TrainingTime.com’s learning library, visit our “Write for Us” page for information on how to contribute.

Why the happiest companies are so happy

It’s that time of the year again, about that time when most of us have started counting down the days until our upcoming holiday break. Whether it’s for a few weeks or just a few days, it will pass quickly and that first day back to the office will be a somber one.

But, what if you worked at a company where you looked forward to coming back after vacation? A place where you thought twice about taking a vacation because you enjoyed being in the office so much?

Business coach Gill Corkindale brought up those questions and others regarding happiness at work in an article I recently came across on the Harvard Business blogs. She explains how more companies in the U.S. and U.K. are taking happiness at work very seriously, despite the economic recession.

“As a business coach, I've noticed that more and more managers and leaders are expecting to derive more happiness and satisfaction from their work. They are often young, talented and successful people who view their jobs as routes to self-actualisation. Yet this shift in the purpose of work raises many questions: how much satisfaction are we entitled to derive from work? And should employers be expected to provide meaning and happiness as well as a job and salary?”

Companies are taking happiness into their own hands, and doing so with clear business motives in mind. In the article, Gill points out a research paper from a Wharton finance professor who found that U.S. companies with the happiest employees performed “notably better” financially than lower-ranked companies.

Moreover, happiness has been scientifically proven to extend our life expectancies, keep us healthier and improve productivity at work.

“Employee satisfaction is a very effective motivational tool and a powerful method of retaining key employees.”

One IT training company in the UK, aptly named Happy, has won a number of awards for being one of the most inspired places to work and for its strong focus on employee and customer relations.

Along with the power of play, happiness can help companies become a better and more enjoyable place for leaders, employees and customers to prosper. Here are just some ways Happy gets to be so happy:

• Create a positive work environment. In most companies, managers spend more time correcting employees on what they’ve done wrong than telling them what they’ve done right. Remember to tell employees ‘thank you’ for doing a great job from time to time.



• Freedom. It’s much easier to be creative without a manager standing over your shoulder watching your every move. Give employees your trust and the freedom to be creative in their everyday work.



• Outline clear expectations. Ensure that every employee under your roof knows what is expected of them and how to reach those expectations. Whether you use employee performance reviews or not, make sure employees are working toward clear goals.



• Feedback. “Feedback is crucial to job ownership,” says Gill. Make sure employees are hearing feedback from internal as well as external sources so they can take ownership in their work. Try using the 5 cent feedback experiment if you’re having trouble.



• Develop skills with training. Recruit talented people who show a positive attitude and then give them the training to develop their skills within the organization. Training is just one way to improve employee engagement and boost morale.



• Celebrate mistakes. “Saying 'I got it wrong' is a sign of responsibility and an indication of an honest and open corporate culture,” says Gill. “If people haven't made any mistakes, they probably haven't tried anything new.”

We want to know - What do you do to make your company a more enjoyable place to work? Would you use ‘happy’ to describe your office environment?

Creativity, innovation and happiness at work

The key to innovation is happiness at work, says Chief Happiness Officer Alexander Kjerulf.

In a recent post on one of his favorite subjects, Alexander shared some insightful take-aways from a trip to London to attend the Top Dog Live innovation conference. This year’s theme - innovation in tough times.

Whether you’re working in London or in the U.S., the theme is especially fitting today with the National Bureau of Economic Research officially stating that the U.S. is in a recession and has been for the past year.

As our economy struggles, businesses continue to make decisions that cut back on work benefits that foster innovation, including training and development. Those decisions are “precisely the wrong thing to do,” says Alexander, reminding us that “a crisis is a terrible thing to waste.”

Alexander’s main take-away from the event was the focus on people and how to make employees happy at work. The majority of conversations dealt less with compensation and stock options, and were more centered around “praise, recognition, good leadership, openness, trust, freedom and fun in the workplace.”

Like Alexander writes about in most of his posts, happy employees are more creative. According to Harvard Business School Research:

If people are in a good mood on a given day, they’re more likely to have creative ideas that day, as well as the next day, even if we take into account their mood that next day.

There seems to be a cognitive process that gets set up when people are feeling good that leads to more flexible, fluent, and original thinking, and there’s actually a carryover, an incubation effect, to the next day.

In order to harness that creativity, more businesses must understand the importance of play and playfulness in the workplace. At Presentation Zen, Garr Reynolds examined the belief that “play is good for you” and for business. In the post he shares a video of Tim Brown, CEO of Ideo, making a presentation on the subject.

In this wonderful short presentation Tim makes many salient points about the role of play, playfulness, and creativity and why they matter in our professional or academic lives. You may be a designer of consumer goods, or a medical doctor, or a researcher, or a teacher — every situation is different. But listen to what Tim Brown says and ask yourself how the idea of play might be introduced into your organization in a way that would benefit workers, patients, and students, not only in terms of productivity but also in terms of simply having people feel better (and isn't there a correlation?).

Watch Tim Brown’s presentation below and visit Presentation Zen to read Garr’s summary of the most important points.



Use this holiday season to boost employee creativity and bring more happiness into your workplace, read these related posts:

How to improve morale during the holidays

Employee recognition ideas on the cheap, it’s easier than you think

Employee engagement down, how training can help

Friday office humor: Dodgeball at work