Search Results for: happiness

Is a simple thank you too much to ask for?

Is a simple thank you too much to ask for?

The rate of change in business today is accelerating, whether that’s technological change, customer demands, economic uncertainty – all are complex challenges. As a result, employees have to be more resourceful, hard-working and dedicated in order to keep up. But according to McKinsey, over half of our employees are not engaged. Productivity is stagnant, Quiet Quitting is rife and employees feel a sense of not being connected to anything. More →

Why changing with the seasons is key to the all-weather workplace

Why changing with the seasons is key to the all-weather workplace

Building in flexibility within workplace strategy and office design is a way to ensure working environments remain a magnetic destinationLove it or hate it, weather chat is part of Britain’s day to day – yet in the world of work it’s not just casual small talk. In fact, the seasons have a real impact on how we feel and perform. The change in seasonal characteristics influences what employees need from where they work. Looking after employee wellbeing and putting individuals in the best position to be productive at work means different things throughout the year. Building in flexibility within workplace strategy and office design is a way to ensure working environments remain a magnetic destination that support people all year round…but what does this type of flexibility look like? More →

Woven Image adds five new colours to its acoustic offering

Woven Image adds five new colours to its acoustic offering

The allure of the natural world is the inspiration for Woven Image’s extended colour palette with 5 new coloursThe allure of the natural world is the inspiration for Woven Image’s extended colour palette with 5 new colours: dusk, mint, butter, cayenne and nutmeg. By embracing the ongoing evolution of colour and textural finishes in the built environment, these portfolio refreshments from Woven Image support interior designers and architects to deliver sustainable, acoustic solutions that evoke moods of relaxation and happiness through clever function and aesthetics. More →

Many employers don’t think GenZ are well prepared for the workplace

Many employers don’t think GenZ are well prepared for the workplace

A new poll from WorkL claims that half of employers believe that Gen Z is not entering the workplace well-equipped with the skills and knowledge neededA new poll from WorkL claims that half of employers believe that Generation Z is not entering the workplace well-equipped with the skills and knowledge needed for their roles. The annual WorkL Global Workforce Report 2024 suggests that mentoring initiatives are being implemented by employers to support Gen Z, with four in ten employers taking the step. Having been significantly impacted by the global pandemic and the shift in traditional working practices, WorkL has seen a falling engagement score for the youngest demographic over the last 12 months; decreasing from 71 percent in 2021 down to just 67 percent in 2023, a concerning four percentage point decrease and the lowest score out of all age groups. More →

Anger is an energy when it comes to getting things done

Anger is an energy when it comes to getting things done

Anger may have the public image of a negative emotion, but it can also be a powerful motivator when it comes to achieving important goalsAnger may have the public image of a negative emotion, but it can also be a powerful motivator when it comes to achieving important goals, according to research published by the American Psychological Association. To better understand the role of anger in achieving goals, researchers conducted a series of experiments involving more than 1,000 participants and analysed survey data from more than 1,400 respondents. In each experiment, researchers elicited either an emotional response (such as anger, amusement, desire or sadness) or a neutral emotional state, and then presented participants with a challenging goal. The research was published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. More →

Want people to spend more time in the office?  Give them a little piece of home

Want people to spend more time in the office? Give them a little piece of home

For many people, a large portion of the day is spent at the workplace. In fact, the average person will spend 90,000 hours at work over a lifetime. The Covid-19 pandemic saw the typical ‘workplace’ setting change for many people, after businesses around the globe were forced to adjust to a ‘work-from-home’ model. Now, three years later, we are starting to see more employees return to the office, with large corporations including JPMorgan, Chase, Apple and Google all announcing plans to bring their workers back to base. More →

There is always time and place for a primal scream

There is always time and place for a primal scream

How many times have you felt – frustration, anger, irritation, smugness, pure happiness – and kept it to yourself? How many times have you felt – sadness, disappointment, jealously – and pretended you we’re fine? And how many times have you said out loud, or thought “I could scream”. Screaming to release emotion has its place in pop culture for a reason. It is one of the most relevant, intense and universal, communication signals for survival in humans, and since the 1960’s, Arthur Janov, a psychologist has been advocating the power of the ‘primal scream’ – a healthy way to let off steam. More →

Workers are generally happy at work, but bored by what they do

Workers are generally happy at work, but bored by what they do

Happiness and boredom are the most common emotions experienced by people at work, according to a Right Management survey of more than 2,000 British workers and managersHappiness and boredom are the most common emotions experienced by people at work, according to a Right Management survey of more than 2,000 British workers and managers. According to the poll, ‘Gen Z’ are most likely to be bored at work (23 percent). But Gen Z leaders worry more than others about reduced employee productivity due to hybrid-working (37 percent). In addition, 70 percent of British employees feel they work better as a team in-person, but only 1 percent claim face-to-face time with colleagues contributes to their wellbeing. More →

The words we borrow from other languages to talk about work and wellbeing

The words we borrow from other languages to talk about work and wellbeing

We are prone to borrow words from other languages to express ideas that otherwise need some explaining in English. This includes the way we talk about work, and specially the way we talk about wellbeing and happinessWe are prone to borrow nuanced words from other languages to express ideas that otherwise need some explaining in English. This includes the way we talk about work, and especially the way we talk about wellbeing and happiness. Perhaps most famously, there was a lot of talk about hygge a couple of years ago. A straight dictionary translation of hygge would be something like cosiness, but the word also embodies an emotion and an approach to life that embraces a certain degree of slowness and an enjoyment of the present moment. It’s no coincidence that it became modish in a distracted and hurried world. Although the concept is usually referred to as Danish, the word itself is shared with Norwegian, which also offers us the word koselig, which means cosiness but also hints at it being best enjoyed at a fireside. More →

The office no longer provides ‘separation between life and work’, remote work survey claims

The office no longer provides ‘separation between life and work’, remote work survey claims

office workers are experiencing the highest levels of burnout and lowest levels of happiness and job satisfaction when compared to remote and hybrid workersA new poll from IE University,  the WorkAnywhere campaign and Remote claims that office workers are experiencing the highest levels of burnout and lowest levels of happiness and job satisfaction when compared to remote and hybrid workers. The team behind the survey say this indicates that the office environment isn’t the effective separator between life and work that many believe it to be. According to findings from The Global Life-Work Survey, in the past month alone, 41 percent of full-time office workers experienced signs of burnout compared to 26 percent of fully remote workers and 34 percent of hybrid workers. More →

Should work help to define your identity? Perhaps, but first consider this…

Should work help to define your identity? Perhaps, but first consider this…

Dr Tracy Brower considers how work ideally forms just a part of our identity The last few years have put work at the forefront of our consideration as individuals and our discussions as a society. Globally, people are thinking consciously about their work, its meaning and its place in their lives. This focus will surely create the conditions for a great reinvention —a reset of how we work as well as where, when and for whom. Identity is an important part of the dialogue: Should work be central to someone’s identity? Is it healthy for work to occupy our focus? And how much is too much? More →

Most people now at risk of poor mental health as a result of social exclusion

Most people now at risk of poor mental health as a result of social exclusion

More than half of people in the UK have experienced social exclusion in the past year, leading to poor mental health and wellbeingMore than half of people in the UK have experienced social exclusion in the past year, leading to poor mental health and wellbeing, according to a new report from BUPA in partnership with ParalympicsGB. The poll suggests that 58 per cent of British people have felt excluded at some point in the past year – leading them to feel shut out when going about their daily life (28 percent), at work (27 percent) or within society (24 percent). Bupa’s survey also claims that 30 per cent of people have felt a negative impact on their general mental health due to their experience of social exclusion, with many left feeling isolated (41 percent), sad (41 percent) and anxious (33 percent). More →