As the new year looms before us, it is a time where both individuals and companies alike sit down and think about the brand-new decade in front of us.
An important topic that has been talked about for years but has recently started to gain traction in MENA is workplace/employee happiness. This has gained a lot of attention in recent years, with discussions and stage talks focused on the topic happening at several major events.
So, will 2020+ be the year more companies begin to take this seriously? Where can companies even start looking for answers to questions about improving employee happiness?
Keep scrolling for 4 pillars of happiness that you should consider for the new year/decade.
Delivering Happiness In Cairo
Real Estate Developer Mountain View (MV) recently partnered with the world’s first culture coach|sulting® [coaching + consulting] company, Delivering Happiness (DH), when creating Egypt’s very first International Business Hub named Heartwork.
A pioneer in understanding and developing corporate cultures that engage employees to create happier, sustainable cultures for more profitable business, Delivering Happiness is known for its methodology that uses positive psychology and the Science of Happiness.
With this partnership, Mountain View has used DH’s formula of creating and developing conducive and active corporate culture/communities to develop their brand-new Business Hub, Heartwork.
Based on 4 pillars of happiness, Heartwork is slated to become one of the top business locales in Cairo once finished. Built on 38 feddans with multiple wide green areas, Heartwork’s philosophy leans heavily on a “working from the heart” mentality; and is working on building a place that will make it easy for companies to start investing in employee happiness.
So far, the idea seems to be well received, with over 2.5M views and mostly positive sentiments on Mountain View’s own company culture. The foundations of their company culture, the wheel or pillars of happiness were translated into their newest project.
But what exactly are the 4 pillars of happiness and how can corporations, and Heartwork, use them to promote happiness and engage employees for a happier work culture?
4 Pillars of Happiness = More Productive and Self-initiating Team Members
In an article way back in the first years of the decade, best-selling author Shawn Achor wrote on Harvard Business Review that “a decade of research proves that happiness raises nearly every business and educational outcome: raising sales by 37%, productivity by 31%, and accuracy on tasks by 19%, as well as a myriad of health and quality of life improvements.”
Moving to today, companies can no longer ignore the mounting evidence and research released since about happy workplaces and cultures and their direct correlation to productivity, and thus profitability.
The phrase “investing in happiness pays,” should already be a permanent fixture on many CEOs and managers’ minds.
Mountain View’s 4 pillars of happiness were created as foundations for Heartwork’s development and ideation. The 4 pillars are Soul, Body, Mind and Heart; with each pillar focusing on various elements that affect the average person.
Soul = Purpose
Purpose/Purpose-Driven has been a major buzzword in the last 3-5 years and for good reason. While there are still misconceptions that a company can only be either purpose or profit-driven, this isn’t true.
Having a purpose-driven company and company culture allows for more engaged and active stakeholders and employees, who are happy to serve a purpose or mission they believe in, generating more productivity and profits in the long run.
According to Herman Miller, purpose is one of six fundamental human needs that motivate us at work. Famously, Peter Drucker also noted how “Culture eats strategy for breakfast” (also mentioned by MV’s Culture Development Senior Management) pointing out yet again the importance for a company culture that resonates and engages its members.
Purpose inspires employees to do good work for you, it expresses how their work can directly/in-directly impact the lives of the end-user. This engages and motivates members to become more collaborative, innovative with problem solving and more comfortable with self-initiating work and projects.
Body = Health
It’s nothing new when we say that the body has a big impact when it comes to productivity and happiness at the workplace.
Multiple studies this last decade alone point out just how much the body is affected by work environment; from lethargy and sore muscles to irregular moods and lack of focus, the body’s effects on workplace happiness and efficiency is significant.
When work dominates an employee’s life, it can mean less sunlight and exercise with more stress, a combination long-known as a recipe for less productivity and usually high turnover. Overworking or even the aesthetics of the environment can also affect the body, making periodic breaks and interesting nearby places an essential element for growing companies that want happier employees.
One of the ways that Heartwork improves the everyday workday is by creating various interesting locals and jogging tracks throughout the area, including as many “mood boosting” possibilities as they can as well as creating the “heart” of the hub which we will discuss soon.
Mind = Mindfulness
With mental health and mindfulness being on top of mind for many people nowadays, creating spaces and the ability to spend time on mental well-being while at the office continues to build in importance.
The ability to disconnect to reconnect spiritually or mentally at the office, and have a space that makes it comfortable for building relationships that fill offices with cheer have been noted as important elements of a great workplace and happy employees in recent years.
Connection increases empathy, supportiveness and collaboration which improves overall work flow and passion, and it is easier to connect with an atmosphere that cares for mental well-being.
Other than green scenery that allows people to connect with nature, small private spaces for self-reflection or even alone time are great ways to keep employees relaxed and comfortable.
Mountain View implemented several Mindfulness-focused locations and activities in Heartwork; including a “Mindflow Fountain,” Zen Garden, and a wellness clinic to provide spaces for those working in the area but may not have spaces like it inside their offices.
Heart = Heart
The Heart of Heartwork holds the Delivering Happiness Campus, which also hosts DH’s first ever Middle East Office.
As a pillar of happiness, the Heart symbolizes a combination of the previous 3 pillars, putting them together into a central hub where people can access and branch into the other pillars. This is also what Heartwork aims to do with their “Heart”.
The project’s heart not only includes the DH Campus which includes many facilities that promote happiness and the pillars of happiness, but also holds DH’s office for those looking for counseling on how to improve company culture and productivity through happy employees.
How Can Happy Employees = Happy Companies
As mentioned before, happy employees increase productivity at work but investing in happier company culture also means more profitability, likability in the market (both as an employer and a brand) as well as more brand ambassadors in employees and other stakeholders.
The benefits of creating a space and culture that promotes happiness is inclusive for both employee and employer.
Heartwork strikes up this balance well, with Mountain View’s partnership with Delivering Happiness and a strong foundation of the 4 pillars of happiness developed through science and positive psychology.
So, how are you going to promote happiness at your company this year? Let us know in the comments on social media!