WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.199 --> 00:00:03.720 Hey, everyone, this is Chris with Hacking Your Leadership, And on today's 2 00:00:03.720 --> 00:00:08.679 discussion on employee engagement, we're gonna be talking about another really common reason why 3 00:00:08.720 --> 00:00:13.320 people leave their jobs. On last week's episode, we talked about how companies 4 00:00:13.359 --> 00:00:18.039 not investing in people is a really, really huge reason why people decide to 5 00:00:18.079 --> 00:00:21.120 leave a company. Another one that is right up there with that is that 6 00:00:21.160 --> 00:00:24.239 they don't feel like they're happy at their jobs. And I know that sounds 7 00:00:24.280 --> 00:00:26.719 like kind of like, well, well, duh, Like everybody wants to 8 00:00:26.719 --> 00:00:29.079 be happy. You want to be happy no matter what you do, right, 9 00:00:29.760 --> 00:00:34.520 But there are very specific things that go into what it means to actually 10 00:00:34.560 --> 00:00:39.560 be happy. Harvard University did a seventy five year study on happiness and they 11 00:00:39.600 --> 00:00:44.719 found that the most important elements that make up a person's happiness level are meaningful 12 00:00:44.759 --> 00:00:51.119 relationships, connections, and social support. Those things matter more than anything because 13 00:00:51.159 --> 00:00:55.119 we spend so much of our time at work. If those things aren't in 14 00:00:55.119 --> 00:00:59.280 place at work, we tend to not be happy at work. It's not 15 00:00:59.359 --> 00:01:02.240 like, you know, if I go to the grocery store and I don't 16 00:01:02.240 --> 00:01:07.680 find a meaningful connection, a good good social support, and a great relationship 17 00:01:07.879 --> 00:01:08.519 you know, I still gotta go to the grocery store, so I get 18 00:01:08.519 --> 00:01:11.719 it done, and there such a small part of my time it doesn't matter. 19 00:01:12.040 --> 00:01:17.760 But when it comes to where we work, because we're there basically a 20 00:01:17.799 --> 00:01:23.319 third of our lives during our working years, it is absolutely necessity to feel 21 00:01:23.319 --> 00:01:29.120 happy and to have meaningful connections, meaningful relationships and social support while you're there, 22 00:01:29.599 --> 00:01:30.920 or you really won't be happy. It's funny. I was just having 23 00:01:30.920 --> 00:01:34.000 this conversation with somebody last week. They were asking me about kind of the 24 00:01:34.040 --> 00:01:38.480 idea of happiness, and you know, my take on it is like happiness, 25 00:01:38.560 --> 00:01:42.319 and I like that you defined it because kind of the surface level of 26 00:01:42.359 --> 00:01:44.760 when people talk about happiness, I'm like, happiness is kind of like fleeting. 27 00:01:44.920 --> 00:01:48.000 Like you know, you get a new car, I'm really happy, 28 00:01:48.159 --> 00:01:49.280 and then you get that payment for a month. Yeah, yeah, I'm 29 00:01:49.280 --> 00:01:52.840 not happy anymore. Right, Like I'm like, no, now I'm angry. 30 00:01:53.760 --> 00:01:57.400 But joy, right, Joy is something that kind of maintains and it's 31 00:01:57.760 --> 00:02:00.799 kind of like a something that brings you joy. It's it's a self defined 32 00:02:00.840 --> 00:02:02.079 thing, is how you feel about it. So I like the fact that 33 00:02:02.359 --> 00:02:07.039 you kind of define happiness within some parameters that have a lot to do with 34 00:02:07.280 --> 00:02:12.759 the social element and the connection that you have to people around you and the 35 00:02:12.759 --> 00:02:16.159 work that you do, because I think those things have more of an impact 36 00:02:16.199 --> 00:02:21.360 on somebody who has joy in the work that they do, and then therefore, 37 00:02:21.400 --> 00:02:23.800 like the happiness factor kind of you know, sustains over longer periods of 38 00:02:23.800 --> 00:02:28.479 time where you enjoy the work and you enjoy the people that you work with. 39 00:02:29.080 --> 00:02:30.360 But yeah, I absolutely would agree with you. Is like on the 40 00:02:30.400 --> 00:02:32.439 surface, you're like, come on, duh, Like you're not happy, 41 00:02:32.479 --> 00:02:36.280 I why don't you leave? But the reality is that, like there's more 42 00:02:36.319 --> 00:02:39.280 to it than just that, because there are definitely times of any job that 43 00:02:39.319 --> 00:02:43.280 you can find a lot of joy in where you're just like, ah, 44 00:02:43.360 --> 00:02:45.520 like, I'm really not happy today. There's stuff I gotta do, I 45 00:02:45.560 --> 00:02:46.360 don't want to do, things I gotta deal with I don't want to deal 46 00:02:46.400 --> 00:02:50.960 with. But those are not necessarily bad days. Those are just things that 47 00:02:51.319 --> 00:02:54.319 can be frustrating, things that can you know, cause you to be like, 48 00:02:54.360 --> 00:02:57.599 ah, like, I'm just not having the best day today. But 49 00:02:57.639 --> 00:03:01.240 that's very different if you're finding joy in real true kind of like as you 50 00:03:01.280 --> 00:03:05.639 defined happiness in the work that you're doing right right. The Harvard study says 51 00:03:05.639 --> 00:03:09.680 that these three things matter more than a person's income, assuming that they are 52 00:03:09.800 --> 00:03:14.439 not having difficulty paying the bills right, So if you are, if you're 53 00:03:14.520 --> 00:03:17.439 poverty stricken, then that can matter more to a person in terms of a 54 00:03:17.520 --> 00:03:23.599 job search than meaningful relationships. Obviously, but assuming the bills are being paid, 55 00:03:23.960 --> 00:03:27.479 these three things matter more than income. It matters more than where a 56 00:03:27.520 --> 00:03:30.919 person lives, like the location of their work or the location of their home. 57 00:03:30.199 --> 00:03:34.039 It matters more than the schedule they're expected to work. It actually matters 58 00:03:34.039 --> 00:03:38.080 more than their commute time. And so a person commuting a long commute to 59 00:03:38.120 --> 00:03:42.719 work to a place of business that they really enjoy and they enjoy the people 60 00:03:42.719 --> 00:03:46.240 that they have meaningful connections there, that person is going to be happier than 61 00:03:46.280 --> 00:03:50.120 a person who can works around the corner but they really dread going to work 62 00:03:50.120 --> 00:03:54.120 and they don't have those connections. It matters that much. The Gallop Organization 63 00:03:54.240 --> 00:03:59.560 found that a person who has a best friend at work is seven times more 64 00:03:59.599 --> 00:04:02.599 likely to engage in their work. You know, I've been doing employee engagement 65 00:04:02.639 --> 00:04:06.639 surveys for organizations for many years, and there's always been this question on a 66 00:04:06.680 --> 00:04:10.840 lot of employ engagement surveys. I have a best friend at work. And 67 00:04:11.680 --> 00:04:15.639 if you don't know what's behind that question, you could think that it's almost 68 00:04:15.680 --> 00:04:17.160 like, you know, magoo, like we're gonna we're all gonna sit around 69 00:04:17.199 --> 00:04:21.040 the campfire singing and kumbaya together and be happy. I have a best friend 70 00:04:21.040 --> 00:04:26.199 at work. You know, a best friend at work isn't necessarily somebody who 71 00:04:26.959 --> 00:04:30.000 you would treat the same way as a best friend outside of work. It 72 00:04:30.000 --> 00:04:33.600 doesn't necessarily rise to that level. A best friend at work is someone who 73 00:04:33.879 --> 00:04:38.519 you have conversations with that have nothing to do with work. Number one and 74 00:04:38.600 --> 00:04:43.680 number two someone you you would maintain a relationship with if one of the two 75 00:04:43.680 --> 00:04:46.480 of you left the organization tomorrow, Meaning the relationship is one that is rooted 76 00:04:46.519 --> 00:04:50.959 in more than just the coincidence that you work together. And so if you 77 00:04:51.040 --> 00:04:54.920 have a person like that at your job, you're seven times more likely to 78 00:04:55.000 --> 00:04:59.519 engage in your work. And so when when a company says they want employees 79 00:04:59.560 --> 00:05:01.920 to be happy, it just means that you want people to get out of 80 00:05:01.959 --> 00:05:06.160 bed with this excitement to be able to get their work done. Whatever that 81 00:05:06.279 --> 00:05:10.920 is that you you know that they're not doing it all the time, but 82 00:05:11.279 --> 00:05:14.160 when it is time to do it, it's not something they dread. They 83 00:05:14.240 --> 00:05:16.360 look forward to it. Where I see this being done correctly by a lot 84 00:05:16.399 --> 00:05:20.959 of organizations, the easy ones are places like charities and nonprofits. Right, 85 00:05:21.199 --> 00:05:27.319 So, people who have a kind of like a calling to do good or 86 00:05:27.319 --> 00:05:30.920 do better for the world at large, they tend to gravitate towards organizations that 87 00:05:31.240 --> 00:05:33.920 do that kind of work. And those people tend to be happy. They 88 00:05:33.959 --> 00:05:40.000 tend to have meaningful connections with the people that work alongside. Where it's harder 89 00:05:40.480 --> 00:05:44.839 is where you have these you know, private for profit companies where not everyone 90 00:05:44.920 --> 00:05:49.240 is doing work and making decisions that impact the trajectory of the organization except in 91 00:05:49.279 --> 00:05:57.079 aggregate meaning all of the little actions and little decisions combined absolutely impact the organization. 92 00:05:57.519 --> 00:06:00.720 But the little things that you do each day all by yourself, they 93 00:06:00.720 --> 00:06:03.360 don't necessarily and and and that can lead to a feeling of you know, 94 00:06:03.839 --> 00:06:06.800 you know that your work is mundane or and and you know feel like you 95 00:06:06.800 --> 00:06:11.519 you are less happy if you don't have those meaningful connections alongside you. Yeah, 96 00:06:11.560 --> 00:06:15.560 and I really think this is where leadership plugs in tremendously because I know 97 00:06:15.839 --> 00:06:18.720 that the impact that a leader can have, even in those types of jobs 98 00:06:18.759 --> 00:06:24.240 where maybe it is kind of like mundane or you know, repetitive and that 99 00:06:24.279 --> 00:06:28.639 type of thing. A great leader that can connect with people individually, that 100 00:06:28.720 --> 00:06:31.319 can bring people together, that can have some fun, that that's authentic, 101 00:06:31.360 --> 00:06:34.680 that's genuine, and that's looking for, you know, for for to get 102 00:06:34.720 --> 00:06:38.399 to know people and to understand, you know, what they're looking to do 103 00:06:38.439 --> 00:06:43.399 and where they want to go. Those types of relationships can make the work 104 00:06:43.480 --> 00:06:46.439 and make the work environment uh more fun where you can be a little bit 105 00:06:46.439 --> 00:06:49.839 more happy. And again, maybe this is not the career job that you 106 00:06:49.879 --> 00:06:53.800 want, maybe this is not what you want to do long term, but 107 00:06:53.800 --> 00:06:57.040 it's the job that you have now. And and you know a leader that 108 00:06:57.079 --> 00:07:01.319 can make that job you know, fun or enjoyable to a degree or not 109 00:07:01.439 --> 00:07:04.519 where you're just absolutely dreading it, maybe like maybe it's not the thing that 110 00:07:04.560 --> 00:07:08.439 you really love to do, but you're also not like, oh my god, 111 00:07:08.480 --> 00:07:11.360 like I just can't stand any of this. I can't stand anybody that 112 00:07:11.399 --> 00:07:15.000 I work with, Like a great leader could have an impact on that by 113 00:07:15.040 --> 00:07:18.639 making sure that you know a lot of the connections that are made are are 114 00:07:19.000 --> 00:07:24.079 you know, true, and are kind of that have positive energy behind them 115 00:07:24.279 --> 00:07:28.480 and empathy behind them, and that's really that's something that can impact happiness. 116 00:07:28.560 --> 00:07:32.360 Yeah, you're so right, because the leadership role in this, not not 117 00:07:32.519 --> 00:07:39.079 the broader company leadership role, but the role of the leader themselves in this 118 00:07:39.199 --> 00:07:43.120 process and in the impact of what it means to be happy at work, 119 00:07:43.279 --> 00:07:46.360 because that one on one relationship is so important in this. I want to 120 00:07:46.360 --> 00:07:49.199 make sure that we give some advice to leaders who want to make sure that 121 00:07:49.199 --> 00:07:54.279 their employees are are as likely as possible to be happy at work. But 122 00:07:54.279 --> 00:07:57.399 first I want to get up toward one of our sponsors. Okay, so, 123 00:07:57.439 --> 00:08:00.439 if you're a leader and you're trying to make sure that your people are 124 00:08:00.480 --> 00:08:03.079 as happy as possible at work, I'm going to start with some advice that 125 00:08:03.120 --> 00:08:07.959 I got from a leader a long time ago. This woman said that she 126 00:08:07.120 --> 00:08:13.519 begins every single conversation with an employee around their career, a career conversation, 127 00:08:13.600 --> 00:08:18.160 a development conversation. All those conversations start with asking them two questions, do 128 00:08:18.240 --> 00:08:22.319 you know why our company exists? And are you excited by that to be 129 00:08:22.439 --> 00:08:26.319 happy about where you work? Means you have to be excited about why your 130 00:08:26.319 --> 00:08:31.240 company is there to begin with. And and you know, every company exists 131 00:08:31.240 --> 00:08:35.159 for a reason. If your company exists for reasons that don't excite you, 132 00:08:35.159 --> 00:08:39.480 you are probably at the wrong organization and you should find one whose purpose for 133 00:08:39.559 --> 00:08:45.559 existing does fit better with you know, something you can align with and something 134 00:08:45.559 --> 00:08:48.120 that would make you happy. If the answer to the question is yes, 135 00:08:48.440 --> 00:08:52.799 you know, your employee knows why the organization exists and they are excited about 136 00:08:52.799 --> 00:08:56.440 that fact. You're starting off on the right foot right there. But it 137 00:08:56.480 --> 00:08:58.919 goes deeper than that once you kind of have that baseline. Now it becomes 138 00:09:00.240 --> 00:09:03.000 what does the relationship look like between you and that employee in a way that 139 00:09:03.159 --> 00:09:07.919 helps them build those meaningful connections, those social relationships and having that social support. 140 00:09:09.080 --> 00:09:11.399 So you need to know what your organization offers in terms of social support 141 00:09:11.480 --> 00:09:15.919 and different you know, kind of benefits and plans and offerings. And you 142 00:09:15.960 --> 00:09:18.440 also have to make sure that you are you know, setting people up for 143 00:09:18.519 --> 00:09:22.000 success when it comes to the relationships they build with each other, putting people 144 00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:26.600 together on projects that you think might align and turn into you know, something 145 00:09:26.600 --> 00:09:30.360 where a relationship can develop out of it a professional and a personal relationship. 146 00:09:30.559 --> 00:09:33.679 You know, these are things where leaders can kind of pull the strings of 147 00:09:33.799 --> 00:09:39.159 creating these relationships once you know that the people on your team are excited about 148 00:09:39.200 --> 00:09:41.559 the work that they're doing. But again, it starts with that assurance that 149 00:09:41.960 --> 00:09:46.000 Okay, are you excited about being here and are you happy with the work 150 00:09:46.000 --> 00:09:48.320 that you're doing. Yeah, I would definitely underline all of that. I 151 00:09:48.320 --> 00:09:54.279 think also leaders have to be authentic, they have to be themselves. They 152 00:09:54.360 --> 00:09:58.320 have to not just like it's hard to tell somebody like why don't you be 153 00:09:58.399 --> 00:10:01.320 happy if I'm not happy? But if you have joy? If I don't 154 00:10:01.360 --> 00:10:05.159 have joy, Like if you're if you're a leader of people and you're not 155 00:10:05.600 --> 00:10:09.320 reflecting what you're asking people to do, if you're showing up every day and 156 00:10:09.399 --> 00:10:13.159 you don't have a kind of positive attitude, you're not finding joy in the 157 00:10:13.159 --> 00:10:16.159 work that you're doing. You're not looking to proactively build relationships and like be 158 00:10:16.600 --> 00:10:20.440 the point of energy that's inspiring people. Modeling it, modeling it right, 159 00:10:20.679 --> 00:10:24.360 then all of that behavioral work, people can see right through it, yep. 160 00:10:24.519 --> 00:10:28.600 And And that that doesn't create happiness, right, That creates distrust, 161 00:10:28.679 --> 00:10:31.759 that creates like come on, like whatever. So so that's that's kind of 162 00:10:31.759 --> 00:10:35.679 like step number one in that leadership role is that you really have to make 163 00:10:35.679 --> 00:10:39.480 sure that you have, you know, spent enough time with yourself to to 164 00:10:39.480 --> 00:10:43.159 to feel good about the work that you're doing, have a true passion for 165 00:10:43.200 --> 00:10:46.840 it, and and and make sure that you're being authentic in the way that 166 00:10:46.840 --> 00:10:52.240 you're approaching these relationships so that so that people can see that and that also 167 00:10:52.279 --> 00:10:54.759 people believe that this is exactly you know, that that you're practicing what you 168 00:10:54.840 --> 00:10:58.000 preach, and that they you're giving them a reason to want to show up 169 00:10:58.039 --> 00:11:01.399 to work and and look a little bit differently, right. I think this 170 00:11:01.480 --> 00:11:05.279 is where this could really be seen as being done right or wrong by a 171 00:11:05.360 --> 00:11:11.240 leader is in the way that they articulate why they like their job and why 172 00:11:11.279 --> 00:11:16.159 they're excited to be there in a way that doesn't incorporate company lingo or company 173 00:11:16.240 --> 00:11:20.200 verbiage, like how how does it manifest itself in the leader's own words? 174 00:11:20.240 --> 00:11:22.559 Because I'll tell you, it can be very easy to fall into this trap 175 00:11:22.600 --> 00:11:28.519 of trying to fake this happiness because you've kind of decided that well, this 176 00:11:28.600 --> 00:11:31.200 is a stepping stone for you it's your career. It's something that's necessary, 177 00:11:31.240 --> 00:11:35.080 and you're not looking to leave because the benefits out weigh the negatives, and 178 00:11:35.120 --> 00:11:39.120 so you're kind of just like grinning and bearing it. That's not the same 179 00:11:39.120 --> 00:11:41.200 thing as being happy. And if you have people reporting to you who are 180 00:11:41.240 --> 00:11:46.039 not in their career, they're in a job or or their job is much 181 00:11:46.080 --> 00:11:48.240 more easily replaceable for them than it might be for you because of where they 182 00:11:48.279 --> 00:11:52.840 are in their career versus where you are in your career, when you are 183 00:11:52.879 --> 00:11:56.120 not on the same plane as they are. For those for the answers to 184 00:11:56.159 --> 00:12:01.039 those questions, it can become easy to kind of convey them to be happy 185 00:12:01.120 --> 00:12:03.320 by saying that you're happy, but they will see you right through it if 186 00:12:03.320 --> 00:12:09.240 it's fake that you They will only believe that you have this happiness and this 187 00:12:09.320 --> 00:12:11.919 joy and this excitement about the work yourself if they see it in your actions 188 00:12:11.960 --> 00:12:16.919 every single day, and if they and if you can articulate in a way 189 00:12:16.320 --> 00:12:20.559 that that doesn't look like you just drank the company kool aid and you're trying 190 00:12:20.559 --> 00:12:22.720 to regurgitate it for them. So with that, that brings to this discussion 191 00:12:22.720 --> 00:12:26.279 on employee engagement. Join us next week i'll have another one. Have a 192 00:12:26.279 --> 00:12:26.679 great day.