By Dr Audrey Tang
In a review of research into wellbeing at work, one of the most common definitions was that provided by the Constitution of the World Health Organisation of ‘health’: “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” (The World Health Organisation, 2022).
In other words, wellbeing at work needs a focus on thriving rather than surviving.
Positive psychologist Martin Seligman suggested that there are 3 pathways to a “happy life”:
- The Good life: where you pursue what you love and live (most of the time) in a state of ‘flow’
- The Meaningful Life: driven by a purpose where you act in the service of something greater than yourself
- The Pleasant Life: the pleasure which one finds in good company
All three are possible in the workplace and will not only contribute to an individual’s feelings of happiness but can reflect in performance outcomes as well.
A sense of purpose (pathway 2) has often been linked with longevity and healthy aging (Hill & Turiano, 2014). It is also associated with healthier behaviours (eg. rest, activity, eating well, and relationships) and outcomes (Kim et al, 2021).
As such, consider the following with respect to your teams:
Identify purpose rather than passion
Benjamin Todd said ’Follow your passion’ is no help. “Many successful people are passionate, but often their passion developed alongside their success, rather than coming first.”
- Ask your teams if their own personal journey is still in alignment with that of the organisation which might give you – and they – a helpful starting point to make changes.
- Consider a secondment; or training; or even explore opportunities which they may not have considered when they first joined.
Develop your team’s strengths over their skills
Both strengths and skills can be learned, developed and improved, but strengths make us feel great when we engage in them, skills less so. For example, if someone shows skill in organising this may be recognised resulting in continuous promotion into events organiser, except if that is not a strength, despite being good at it, the role would eventually exhaust them. If you are unaware of the difference, it is very easy to get promoted in a role which is not an authentic fit, which ultimately leads to unhappiness.
- Ask your team to consider all the things they are good at and get them to divide them into two columns – things they enjoy and find energising, and things they can do but find exhausting. Then work with them in finding ways to better utilise their strengths.
Remember that ‘too little’ can be just as stressful as ‘too much’…the emergence of Rust Out
Rust Out was the name applied to the boredom experienced by employees by Paula Coles (2019) when they do “work which is uninspiring and fails to stretch the person so that they become disinterested, apathetic and alienated.”
While burnout is active – eg. trying to do more than is possible until there is no energy left – a rusty object doesn’t necessarily choose” to rust…it is left to rust by careless owners. When it comes to rust out the role of the leader and the organisation in offering meaning and purpose is clear.
Encourage purpose through recognition
Herzberg et al (1959) used the term “hygiene” with the same meaning of “medical hygiene” – factors within a job that are needed to remove health hazards. They include:
- Fair Salary
- Status, supervision and security
- Healthy relationships with colleagues and conditions of the working environment
For Herzberg, without fair pay, a healthy pace of work, and positive relationships in an environment conducive to work – your teams are also likely to become unwell. These hygiene factors are essential to avoid ill-being or job dissatisfaction. However, Herzberg also added that there were several motivating factors which contributed to job satisfaction. They included:
- Achievement and Recognition
- Opportunity for advancement and growth
- Responsibility and meaning or enjoyment of the work itself
The two needs (health and satisfaction) are not opposites, they are both needed for people to thrive. Recognise the work done by your teams, and offer opportunities for growth whilst also being aware, even informally of how your teams are connecting to the work itself.
About the author
Dr Audrey Tang is a psychologist, leadership coach, author and founder of the CLICK Arts Foundation.
