Trigger happiness
How can HR people make themselves happier?All of a sudden, happy has gone from nowhere to everywhere. Just a couple of years ago, it was a word with no role in the corporate agenda. Then David Cameron announced the first official happiness index; HR suppliers started knocking the word about as a rough synonym for engagement; Pharrell Williams released that tortuously catchy song.
Happiness even made it to the birthday honours list, with the Master of Wellington College, Anthony Seldon, landing a gong for innovations such as ‘happiness lessons’ for his pupils.
All of which slightly piques Jane Sunley. The CEO of Purple Cubed and a published expert on career satisfaction, Sunley was talking about happiness well before the bandwagon even hit the outskirts of town. Recently she’s published her second book – It’s Never OK to Kiss the Interviewer – packed with tips on how to find, win and prosper in your ideal role.
Generally, Sunley notes, leaders aren’t always great at asking their people what might improve their happiness levels. ‘They’re often too scared to ask,’ she says, ‘in case it means having to deal with difficult consequences.’
She cites a time when she was managing a hotel in Reading, and suffering a high turnover of banqueting staff. In an exit interview, she asked one employee the reason for her departure. ‘There aren’t enough teaspoons here,’ replied the employee, ‘so we’re always having to wash up.’ Sunley promptly bought more teaspoons.
Her book isn’t written for HR specifically. But given her clients largely comprise of HR professionals, Sunley is happy to pick out the bits she feels are most appropriate for a people manager looking to put a wider smile on their face.
Get values-aligned.
Take some time out to identify what your personal values really are, suggests Sunley. Make a list of all the values that matter to you – 15 or 20, perhaps – and then cut them down to a more workable list of five or so. Use your list to track down a compatible employer. ‘Working at an organisation where your values are compromised can make you ill and depressed,’ she warns.
Don’t take advice all the time.
People are always telling us what we should do, says Sunley. (‘For example, small girls are often told, ‘You ought to be a nurse.’’) We need to look and think beyond external opinions and decide what we want for ourselves. Gen Y is apparently really bad at this, says Sunley: ‘They’re always crowdsourcing opinions rather than working things out in their heads,’ she says.
Find a nice place to work.
Don’t underestimate the value of a workplace where people are pleasant and the values aligned with your own. ‘Do your research into potential employers’, says Sunley. ‘There are no longer six degrees of separation. Go online and use social media to talk direct to the organisation’s employees, or to hear what they’re saying about the business.’
Learn and develop.
‘Don’t worry so much about classroom learning,’ suggests Sunley. ‘Think about all the other ways to learn, such as self-study and visiting competitors.’ And if you can’t find what you want, learning-wise, ask for it – making a robust business case that’ll add strength to your request.
Find a mentor.
As a visiting fellow at Oxford Brookes University, Sunley mentors a variety of students. ‘Mentors can be really important,’ she says. ‘Much better than a boss.’ She suggests approaching people you respect and asking them to be mentors, and agreeing a duration for the mentorship (maybe six months) in advance. She also recommends the flipside of getting a mentor – getting a mentee – as a great alternative way of learning.
Consider your career path.
‘The idea of the career ‘ladder’ is a fallacy,’ says Sunley. ‘It’s more of a web.’ Consider the possibility of horizontal and diagonal moves that might make you happier than climbing upwards in the same old rut.
Get into the business.
And finally, advice specific to our industry. ‘HR people can become more satisfied at work by getting closer to the business,’ Sunley says. ‘HR shouldn’t see itself as support – keeping the status quo and the line away from tribunals – but as something more integral.’ She advocates using the language of ROI to champion change and investment. ‘Get ballsy, and take your FD out for lunch,’ she recommends.
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