coNvERSAtIoNS WItH dr. aNNiE McKEE
By KElly HEitz
In our high-speed, high-stress economy, countless employees and managers at every level are fed up, burned out and unfulfilled at work. Facing the heightened demands of an always-on world, many also juggle higher expectations and rising competition, along with limited resources and poor management. Should we even expect to be happy at work anymore? dr. annie McKee, University of Pennsylvania scholar and bestselling author of How to Be Happy at Work: The Power of Purpose, Hope and Friendship, believes you should not only expect happiness at work, but also that it is essential to the success of every individual and organization.
In this month’ s Conversations, we asked McKee to explain why our workplaces are unhappier than ever and what both individuals and managers can do about it.
PULSE: What makes happiness and full engagement seem elusive in today’ s workplace? dr. annie McKee: Far too many people are unhappy and disengaged at work( Gallup consistently reports that nearly two-thirds of all employees are either neutral about their jobs or actively disengaged). There are many reasons for this— the pressure of our“ always on” world, years of having to do more with less, and poor management. Some of the problem, however, lies with each one of us. Too often we have bought into the myth that work is supposed to be grueling; that we can’ t ask for more. We also sabotage ourselves when we get stuck in happiness traps like overwork, overheated ambition and doing what we think we should do rather than what we truly want to do at work and in our careers.
P: How are happiness and engagement linked? M: Both happiness and engagement have to do with how we feel about our work, as well as what we think about our daily tasks and the energy and effort we are willing— or can— dedicate to our jobs. It stands to reason that we won’ t be engaged with
our work, that we won’ t want to give our all when we find little meaning in the work we do, when work doesn’ t link to our personal dreams, and when relationships are strained. The opposite is also true: when we can live our values and have positive impact at work, we are more committed and dedicated. When we are hopeful, we’ re more energetic and our efforts are goal-directed. And when we have warm, positive relationships on the job, when we feel as if we’ re all in it together, our collaborations are more fun and work is more fun, too.
P: What makes your perspective on happiness in the workplace unique? M: There are a great many books on happiness and in fact, philosophers have been writing about it for eons. My perspective is different in that I go beyond what happiness is and propose a model for exactly what is required for happiness at work: a sense of purpose, hope and a personally compelling vision of the future that links job with life, and friendships at work. More, I propose practical strategies for increasing happiness at work and improving one’ s experience on the job
34 PULSE ■ November 2017