How important is happiness at work?

<p>This conversation was incredibly nuanced. We started out saying, yes, happiness at work is important. But then we came up against A LOT of questions.</p> <p> </p> <p>Among them, What does it mean to be happy at work? Whose responsibility is it to make employees happy at work?</p> <p> </p> <p>I shared how for me, when I worked in the corporate world, my only thing was for them not to actively make me unhappy. Communicate what you need from me. Give me the tools to do it. Pay me a fair wage and I’ll do a great job. I didn’t want pizza parties or employee appreciation dinners.</p> <p> </p> <p>Kevin Wash pointed out that there are lots of studies showing that people who are happier at work are more productive. (I didn’t mention it during the conversation but I do wonder if people who are allowed to be productive are happier.)</p> <p> </p> <p>Cole Galloway made the observation that he sees so many people who are just different people at work. In the parking lot they might be easy going and smiling. But walk through those office doors and that person is replaced with a dog-eat-dog mentality.</p> <p> </p> <p>Stewart Wiggins wondered if what makes someone happy at work changes throughout their career and as they age.</p> <p> </p> <p>I absolutely LOVED this conversation and I wish you all could have been a fly on the wall for the discussion that happened after I turned off the recording.</p> <p> </p> <p>It is often the case that ten minutes just isn’t enough. </p> <p> </p> <p>The additional thirty minutes this panel spent together was full of rich and interesting discussion.</p> <p> </p> <p>If you are wishing you could have heard it, I would encourage you to become part of the Quick Hits community and join the conversation as a panelist.</p> <p> </p> <p>It is an absolutely amazing group of people and what you see in the posted discussions is only part of why I love it.</p> <p> </p> <p>Back to the question – Do you take responsibility for your happiness at work? It is important or necessary to be happy at work?</p> <p>