You know those little things that make your day shine and are not really connected to you in any way? A colleague’s attitude, the way your workspace is organized or random surprises that your colleagues treat you to can make every day at work more enjoyable.
Little things that make people feel happy at work
1.Sociable colleagues
Isn’t everything better when you have nice colleagues to work with?
2. Doing tasks that have meaning for me
Let’s say your current job is just a means to pay your rent and you’re waiting for a dream job opportunity. But, whatever you’re doing you want to be appreciated for your work. And how can we judge a fish by its climbing skills? We can’t.
3. Constructive feedback
The most important part of your work is feedback. No matter if it’s positive or negative (and then you will know what you have to change) feedback represents a very important instrument for measuring the quality of your work. Constructive feedback that gives you ideas for improvement can transform your day into a very productive and cheerful one.
4. Smiling co-workers
A smile never cost anybody anything and a day seems to go better when you are surrounded by colleagues that smile and are willing to help you anytime or just to hug you when you are not feeling ok.
5. Having a mentor
Not anybody can brag about having a mentor at their job. A mentor is not only a teacher, it is the person that inspires you, the person from whom you want “steal” job know-how or hard-earned wisdom.
6. A good training program
We all feel very motivated do our job the best way we can when we have a good training program. You can receive better feedback, you can be more focused on your work and you can improve your skills when you know you’ll be rewarded.
7. Brainstorming sessions
Brainstorming sessions where we challenge our brains to come up with a mountain of ideas underneath which lies a single brilliant idea for a project are both relaxing and exhausting. Even though it seems like a paradox, a brainstorming session can actually summon all the creativity that we are capable of.
8. Open-minded people around
If all the people around us would be open minded we would all have something to gain.
9. A unique benefits package
We bet you love free coffee or lunch, or free stuff included in your unique benefits package. Or maybe you prefer free gym or free parking. More and more employers are choosing to provide a coffee service in their office, gym memberships or stipends, lunches, or other benefits.
A friendly working environment
1. Playing games (only on lunch breaks)
Taking a break once in a while is the key to success. So, why wouldn’t you take advantage of your free time to revitalize your body and relax your brain cells?
2. A room designed exclusively for fun
Wouldn’t your work environment be happier if you would have a room only for entertainment purposes? A room full of games where you can leave the stress behind?
3. Short breaks
Short going-out-for-some-air breaks give you the perfect time to have a moment for yourself in which you can analyze your daily problems. Taking longer micro breaks helps tremendous in employees productivity, it reduces stress, keeps workers engaged and makes work more enjoyable.
4. A clean desktop with a nice wallpaper
In order to be productive, we need to be organized. The same applies to your desk, your files and, of course, your desktop. A clean workspace gives you a great push when you want to start new things or tasks. And a happy wallpaper should bring a wide smile on your face.
5. Great indoor design
White walls and uncomfortable chairs aren’t the greatest amplifiers for creativity. If you’re not getting the greatest results from your brainstorming sessions, surely the monotone work environment is a driver. A colorful room, with all kind of inspirational images on the walls, a comfy chair, and a hilarious rug will kick off that wild imagination of yours. If you have created a prototype through your imagination and you wish to explore the real-life ideas relevant to what you’re thinking, then you can perform Google image search. This method will help you to explore similar images to your imagination through multiple image search engines and find a perfect indoor design.
6. Nice tools to work with (pencils and stuff, a fast laptop or PC)
What could make you happier than your own work kit? A personalized laptop, a colorful crayon support, an elegant agenda – all these little things are details that could change the way your day unfolds.
7. A cozy chair
Sitting at a desk all day long could have long-term negative effects on your health. And as we all know, unhealthy people are not happy. A chair that makes you feel relaxed can make work seem more enjoyable, especially when it comes to repetitive tasks. And isn’t this a great reason to be happy?
8. A book
A book found on your desk in the morning, which you asked to borrow just a few days ago can make your day be clear as the sky on a sunny day. You’ll be smiling all day, just waiting to go home and start reading.
Good things that set your mood
1. Learning day by day
Whether it’s keeping up on current events, a new hobby or interest or simply any new idea, taking a small amount of time to learn something new every day is a great way to add to your personal knowledge base.
2. Good coffee or amazingly tasty tea
A tasteful jasmine tea or an energizing coffee with plenty of milk can indeed be the reason you keep fighting at the office on a cloudy day.
3. Lunch breaks
Lunch break is also very important: your brain has a small amount of time in which it can catch a breath and you have the perfect chance to taste something good to brighten your mood and feed your brain.
4. Nice music
Chillout music for quiet days, soft dubstep for lazy moments and “Lana del Rey forever” says one of my favorite colleagues. And she’s always right.
5. Sweets shared with my colleagues (especially chocolate)
What can be better than that special moment when one of your colleagues brings a box full of chocolates and they’re willing to share it with you? Or a big platter of home-baked cookies with apples and cinnamon?
6. Quiet times where you’re alone in the office
Do you know those moments when you are the only one in the office (hopefully not after hours), and you are looking around and there is no one at all?
7. Flexible schedule/ hours
Being able to leave the office whenever you have personal business to take care of is something that you must love about a job.
8. Smart jokes and going out every Friday
Friday is a magical day when open-minded colleagues are coming up with funny smart jokes that continue over casual drinks into the weekend.
What other small things make you happy during working hours?
Image 1 licensed from Dollarphotoclub, Image 2 via StockSnap.io under C.C.0 license
thanks…we should maintain in this way to make n feel the office environment more awesome. I will follow it.
Happy you found it useful!
The pursuit of happiness is so crucial that we try a lot of motivational strategies to make our employees productive. Happy employees tend to work efficiently and effectively since they emit positive energy, it is for this reason why they have to have proper compensation in order for them to enjoy and love their respective job. If the employee is in the state of being happy, he/she is thrice innovative. These 25 little things can really make them feel important and they’ll be dedicated to their respective work.
I couldn’t agree more! Thanks for joining the conversation and I’m glad you found the article useful!
I love the phrase ” Dont Count the Days Make the Days Count ” and the creating of happiness culture in the workplace should become a graet adventure for all who is in pursuit of happiness.
very useful information,it helped me a lot. thanks :) :)
I’m really someone that is a free spirit and desire to relate with people more, but then I have colleagues who like to pick at every little detail about me and tease me on it. This does not make me happy. Sometimes, I try to overlook. And sometimes I assert my feelings. But they don’t change. How can I still making a happy working relationship in the office despite these?
Hi Henrietta! I think it’s important to have an open discussion with your colleagues on what your expectations are of them and vice-versa. Delving into an honest discussion about what makes the workplace enjoyable for everyone is the only way to align your points of view. Try to get some actionable items from this discussion. If nothing changes afterwards, try to stay true to what makes you happy or find someplace where you can enjoy working and being yourself.
Thanks for this deep insight and kind words on how to make staff happy, i really like that small things to make :)
This is very good post and informative too. breaks and lunch break..making smart jokes can make us happy. Thnaks
Great post Paula, thank you for writing. We are hyper focused on this topic where I work.
Really good tips. It’s not natural to sit in a chair for hours on end and stare at a computer screen. We must try to remember our eyes, muscles, and social needs – among other things. Like anything else, balance is important at work, and that includes balancing intense focus with periodic disengagement and consideration for our immediate health and happiness!
Good article! I agree! Thanks for the information.Keep it up.
I’m certain that I feel so much happier at work when l’m around with good colleagues! There are always works to do, but nowadays teamwork is essential to get anything done. Good colleagues who are competent, diligent, respectful, and humorous will make the work more satisfying.