Devon DickA COUPLE days ago a British television station released the results of a survey, which tried to ascertain which professionals were experiencing happiness at the workplace. The top job was that of the hairdresser. Those who were least happy with their vocation were secretaries, architects, civil servants and social workers.
Unfortunately, there was no analysis of the findings by that electronic medium so I will attempt one. Furthermore, this sample was done in Britain and the results might be different in Jamaica. Nevertheless, there might be lessons that can be learnt about job satisfaction. This issue is important because happiness at the workplace affects productivity and can also affect self-esteem and self-worth.
It could be that hairdressers experience fulfilment on the job because they get immediate results. Within a three-hour period the person would have looked better than when they arrived.
Therefore, the workers feel a sense of accomplishment. In addition, the client would also appreciate the makeover and would often express it to the hairdresser. The non-tangible of hearing 'well done' is critical.
It is also possible that the camaraderie experienced between hairdresser, as service provider, and the client, often described as 'very good', plays a crucial role in job contentment. It is claimed that in a hairdressing parlour, persons talk a lot. Some persons even claim that they gossip.
Whatever it is, there is often a personal relationship between both, and issues are discussed and even secrets shared.
SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS
Too often employers and employees belittle the importance of good social relationships on the job. This lesson I learnt over a decade ago when I attended a Christian conference in Puerto Rico.
The speaker made the point that coffee breaks are important in order that staff can mingle and also rest the brain for better performance. Unfortunately, many workplaces discourage coffee breaks, and persons even eat lunch at their desks by themselves not realising the importance of 'breaking bread' together.
It is paradoxical that at seminars, the planners always factor in a time for coffee breaks because the trainer realises that the participants cannot go eight hours non-stop and assimilate the material properly. Why then do employers and employees believe that they can be performing at their optimum while working for five or more hours non-stop?
Could it be that the other professionals who are at the bottom of the report do not feel the sense of accomplishment; are not praised for their work and have no time for relaxation and renewal on the job? Isn't it true that clients frequently quarrel with architects and are hardly satisfied with the design? Don't many secretaries feel that their job is inferior to the bosses' work and they are mainly called upon to do the dirty, mundane, boring work? If things go wrong they get the blame and when things go well the boss is praised. Aren't civil servants the butt of jokes on incompetence giving the false impression that incompetence is alien to the private sector? Aren't social workers always dealing with problem situations and
driven by the passion to take on all the problems all the time without consideration for self and family?
HAPPINESS AT THE WORKPLACE
Interestingly, there was a recent article in British newspaper, The Guardian, written by Larry Elliot, which could shed light on happiness at the workplace. It is claimed that above $2 million a year, a person does not experience happiness with extra income. An experiment at Harvard was cited to prove the point. Students were asked to choose between two imaginary worlds. In the first they would earn $3m annually while the average for everybody else was $1.5m, while in the second scenario they would earn $6m against an average of $15m. Conventional wisdom would suggest that a worker would choose the latter option but actually a majority chose the former!
There are things other than money that will make a worker happier. Furthermore, the columnist quoted another survey, which showed that 'sleeping around' does not make people happier and that a monogamous relationship was the best way to maximise happiness. This could mean that an under-performing, frustrated worker might not be producing because he or she is 'sleeping around' and not in a monogamous relationship.
Workplaces must do more than just have an AIDS policy and give away free condoms during Safe Sex Week, but must also teach the benefits and blessings of a monogamous relationship because that could help happiness and productivity.
To enjoy work is more than salary after a certain level and workers must feel a sense of accomplishment, appreciation and fellowship at the workplace.
The Rev Devon Dick is pastor of the Boulevard Baptist Church and author of 'Rebellion to Riot: the Church in Nation Building'.
