Reading time: 4 min.
In this episode, we have Lindsay De Donder as our guest. Lindsay is co-creator at Happy Humans and has 10 years of experience in the HR world, always focusing on the health and well-being of employees. This is a natural extension of what she does at Happy Humans, strengthening happiness at work in Flanders.
What does happiness at work mean?
"Happiness at work is not very different from what being happy means in general. It is a personal feeling of energy and pleasure that you experience as an individual in your work. So it varies from person to person. People who are happy at work are generally much more productive, less often absent, and simply have a positive influence on the organization."
This is how we strengthen happiness at work
"The mission of Happy Humans is to strengthen happiness at work and ensure that both employer and employee feel happy at work. Experience shows that both often have a different perspective on this, each from their own point of view. That is interesting," says Lindsay.
To strengthen shared happiness at work, Happy Humans engages in conversations with both employers and employees. This leads to fascinating discussions that reveal blind spots, which in many cases can be quickly resolved.
We bundle the results of all conversations into an action plan that fits within the company's strategy.
6.6 out of 10... when it comes to job satisfaction
It is clear that work plays an important role in our overall life satisfaction. The national happiness survey—conducted by Professor Lieven Annemans (UGent), supported by NN—shows that employees in Belgium give only a 6.6 out of 10 when it comes to job satisfaction.
"A score that is too low, if you ask us, and whose consequences are often underestimated; low employee satisfaction leads to more absenteeism, less productivity, and simply has an extremely negative impact on the organization," says Lindsay.
"At the base lies the happiness of the employer, which we also focus on strongly. If you, as an employer, are happy and strong in life, this positively radiates onto the employees."
Corona and tips for the physical restart
We don’t need to tell anyone that the Corona period was not easy. We experienced it firsthand and asked Lindsay how they experienced that period at Happy Humans.
"It is particularly difficult for both employers and employees. Employers face the challenge of maintaining their employees' well-being, let alone improving it. And employees experience a great deal of uncertainty."
Lindsay advises to communicate openly about this in one-on-one conversations—whether still digitally or in person—and to do so regularly. She advises employers to proactively ask employees (how did you experience the past period, what are you struggling with, what questions do you have, etc.) to help reduce uncertainty.
Wellbeing & health in the workplace
Every crisis also offers opportunities! In recent times, many of us have started exercising massively and have become even more aware of the importance of healthy nutrition. This phenomenon is further extending into the workplace, they notice at Happy Humans.
"While it was not always considered important before, we now see companies investing even more in healthy breaks, in health... as extra support for employees."
Encouraging breaks
Healthy and mindful breaks are gradually gaining more and more ground in the workplace. They lead to increased productivity and foster connection among employees... although we notice that some companies are still critical of this and see it more as time wasted when no work is done.
Happy Humans notices this as well. "Often, we are just the latest to proclaim that healthy and mindful breaks are important, but after the coaching process, we often receive very positive feedback. Precisely because those break moments really make a difference."
One last tip!
Lindsay: "As an employer, take a step back, think about what makes you happy yourself, and what you can do to further strengthen that happiness at work!"
We wish all entrepreneurs and managers much success with the (physical) restart of their company!