Inspiring Workplaces: Because I'm Happy! (Sing Along If You Know The Words)

Published: Wed, 06/25/14

Humor at Work

ISSUE 544 - Jun 25, 2014


			Because I'm Happy! (Sing Along If You Know The Words)

	It might seem crazy what I'm about to say, but a study reported in the Harvard Business Review conducted by Shawn Achor (author of "The Happiness Advantage") found that engaging in one brief positive exercise a day for three weeks can have a lasting impact on employees' levels of happiness - yes, even tax managers heading into one of the worst tax seasons in decades (the study was conducted at the end of 2008). Every day for three weeks participants had to choose to do one of the following activities: Meditate at their desk for two minutes Exercise for 10 minutes Take two minutes to describe in a journal the most meaningful experience of the previous 24 hours Write down three things they were grateful for Write a positive message to someone in their social network The results showed that the managers who participated in the activity were more engaged, less depressed, and much happier - even for months after the exercise ended. And remember, all they had to do was one of those items! Even if you're a bit skeptical, it's worth taking the time to consider how intentional your organization is about boosting everyone's level of happiness at work. Here's why your boss and your boss's boss might be happy to talk about being happy: By focusing intentionally on boosting employee happiness, the online gift retailer Red Balloon went from a 64% employee turnover rate to an employee engagement rate of a whopping 90%. A Gallup study found the companies with happier employees have 20% higher profits. A meta-analysis by researchers Lyubomirksy, King and Diener, found that happy employees have, on average, 31% higher productivity; their sales are 37% higher; their creativity is three times higher. A study by Gallup Healthways found that happy employees are absent from work an average of 1.25 days less per month. A study by Jennifer George and Kenneth Bettenhausen found that happier employees score significantly higher on customer satisfaction surveys. Results like that should make you feel like clapping along like a room without a roof...because when everyone is truly engaged in a rockin' happy workplace, the sky really is the limit.

		Mike's Fun at Work Tip

If you're looking for a fun name for your team, perhaps for a meeting exercise or just to add a little silliness to a Friday, try this simple random team name generator. Have everyone generate a name based on this formula: The color of your underwear + the last thing you ate = your possible team name. Then have everyone vote on what they think is the best/funniest/most appropriate name for your team.
		Quote of the Week

"The more elaborate our means of communication, the less we communicate." Joseph Priestly
		It's a Wacky World

Yes, the month that snow-bound Canadians have been longing for is finally here! July is official Ice Cream Month, Horseradish Month, Share a Sunset With Your Lover Month and Freedom From Fear of Public Speaking Month. And of course, there's the usual assortment of offbeat days to celebrate, including... July 2: World UFO Day July 5: Cherry Pit Spitting Day July 6: Take Your Webmaster to Lunch Day July 8: SCUD Day (Savor the Comic, Unplug the Drama) July 12: Bald Is In Day July 13: Gruntled Workers Day and Embrace Your Inner Geek Day July 17: Get To Know Your Customers Day July 19: Throw Away the 'Could Haves' and 'Should Haves' Day July 21: Get Out of the Doghouse Day July 22: Spoonerisms Day July 24: Tell an Old Joke Day July 25: Systems Administrator Appreciation Day July 27: Walk on Stilts Day and Take Your Plant for a Walk Day July 31: Chili Dog Day For the complete list cruise on over to the July Theme Day List.

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Inspiring Reading

Mike is quoted in the Yesware blog article: Sales Isn't A Laughing Matter. But Maybe It Should Be?

Inspiring Watching

From the Humor at Work TV archives: Customer Service Lessons from the United Break Guitars Music Videos Phenomenon

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