Tuesday, August 17th, 2010

Is it too much to ask to have a job and a place to feel happy during a time when many are just grateful to be employed?

NO. Our future depends on it. Simply put, happy workers create productivity, quality and effective organizations, which in turn will help us get back on our feet.

We cannot entirely blame the leaders in Washington or Wall Street or Detroit for the mess we are in. I have a controversial theory that unhappy workers contributed greatly to the collapse of the US economy, whether they were in the corner office of a high rise or on the factory floor.  55% of all American workers reported that they hated their jobs in January of 2010. How can we build a great economy while our workers are spending company time surfing monster.com or daydreaming about the weekends?

So here is my list of five things you can do to help yourself and the future of our world economy:

1.     Do not give up on your dreams and spend some time each week cultivating your interests and planning your best future.

2.     Be responsible and give your best to whatever you have committed to for work currently.

3.     If you are currently unemployed, balance the job search with some soul searching around how this may be an opportunity to get out of your box.

4.     If you are a boss, create the best atmosphere for your employees you can. Create a healthy work environment and you will be rewarded with loyalty and productivity.

5.     If a co-worker is down, try to reach out to that person and lift their spirits.  It will help you both.

Laurel Donnellan                                                                                                                             CEO                                                                                                                                                 Bright Livelihoods