Do you like what you do every day?

If you answer “Yes” to the above question, then it might be said that you have high workplace happiness.

“At a fundamental level, we all need something to do,” writes authors Tom Rath and Jim Harter in their 2010 book, Well Being: The Five Essential Elements. “And ideally, something to look forward to, when we wake up every day.” The authors continue: “What you spend your time doing each day shapes your identity, whether you are a student, partner, volunteer, retiree, or have a more conventional job.”

But answering yes to the above question does not involve wishful thinking or landing an ideal work situation. According to the authors, the key element to finding workplace wellness is an individual’s level of workplace engagement. In other words, the more engaged people are in their occupation, the happier they will be.

“After reviewing these data, it was clear that when people who are engaged in their jobs show up for work, they have an entirely different experience than those who are disengaged,” Rath and Harter write. “For those who are engaged, happiness and interest throughout the day were significantly higher. Conversely,” the authors continue, “stress levels were substantially higher for those who were disengaged.”

Finding wellness in the workplace may not be an easy task. That said, however, there are mental tools and strategies that can help meet his goal.

The key takeaway is this: The more your put in to your occupation, the more you are likely to get out of it.

References:

Rath, T., and Harter, J. (2010). Well Being: The Five Essential Elements. Gallup Press. New York, NY.