How can organizations apply your happiness principles to have a healthy work environment? originally appeared on Quora - the knowledge sharing network where compelling questions are answered by people with unique insights.
Answer by Neil Pasricha, NY Times Bestselling Author of The Happiness Equation & The Book of Awesome, on Quora.
A good workplace will foster the 4 S's:
S - Social - We are the most social mammals on the planet for a reason -- our social relationships have a greater effect on our happiness than our income, gender, health, etc. (Source: Stumbling on Happiness) What does a good workplace foster? Team breakfasts. CEO AMAs. Lunch walking groups. Work sports leagues. If these are missing, start one!
S - Structure - There are 168 hours in a week. 56 for sleep (ideal!), 56 for work (including commuting / extra work at home, etc.), 56 for your passion. Foster and include these passions in the workplace. What can each person bring from outside of work? The work structure allows, and pays for, our outside work passions to be big parts of our lives.
S - Stimulation - Always learning something news. Ensuring the steepest possible curves between 'value giving' and 'value getting.' In practical terms, things such as maximum 2 years in a role, job sharing or job trades, regular development sessions, quarterly individual development meetings with one- and two-up managers.
S - Story - Feeling as though you're part of something bigger than yourself. Ensuring the company's mission / purpose captures the heart -- and bringing it to life regularly through customer stories, printing it on the walls, and talking about it to open or close meetings. At Facebook you're connecting the world. At Wikipedia you're giving the world the sum of human knowledge for free. At your town paper, you're increasing community. What's your workplaces story?
This question originally appeared on Quora. - the knowledge sharing network where compelling questions are answered by people with unique insights. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. More questions: