Science of Happiness

In economic uncertainty, there are plenty of people, businesses and experts who will play the devil’s advocate about heading into the job market. However, like starting an exercise routine, the best time to get fit is right now.

People are nervous, it’s only natural. But, a few simple inward and outward actions can help thwart that. The first rule is to surround yourself with positive people. They can help focus your attention on key issues, productivity and even customer satisfaction - or just offer a calming effect. Strategic and well-planned information disseminated to employees or students enables them to make better decisions in their entire job and life - from daily tasks to dealing with clients or potential employers. This will help give you a stake in your own success.

If you clearly understand the goal, the improvements you want to work toward, how those improvements can make a difference and what you stand to gain by following your dreams, then your likelihood of success just sharply increased. Caring and believing in your future will go a lot further than a bonus or a GPA. Tell yourself to stay in the game and reach for a goal. Know each and every person is a valuable part of the team.

It is common practice for companies to go into holding patterns because they are nervous about running low on capital. That's no surprise. It might seem like no one is hiring, but that isn’t true. All it means is that companies are looking for genuine people who want to work hard. Now, they get to be selective in who they want on their team.

Now is the time to be creative, find ingenuity and tap the resources you didn't know were there. No matter what the projections, if you look hard enough, you will find it. There is no such thing as "can't" or impossible. There's a way around everything. The importance of innovation isn't just the development of brilliant ideas or expanding services, resumes or degrees. How business infrastructures evolve to support them is also mission-critical. That means finding where you fit in to the process.

For employees, it's about development. It's not just a paycheck. People who say loyalty is dead aren't looking at the heart of their staff. People might not stay at one place 25 years, but while they are there, the reason they went to work at that particular job is more than just a paycheck. People care and they want to know they are cared about.

It is basically the science of happiness. Customer service is about making the customers happy. Company culture is about making employees happy. A content workforce will become evangelical to its mission. Are you ready to take that on?

By: Staci Dennis