Happy 2025
Let’s make this new year the Year of Happiness!
According to Santhosh (According to Santhosh (https://www.culturemonkey.io/employee-engagement/workplace-happiness/) work happiness goes beyond job satisfaction. It also involves a sense of well-being and gratification. Work happiness includes alignment of personal values, job fulfillment, and a positive work environment. In Job Corps, work happiness consists of (1) knowing and being able to perform the job, (2) the Center culture, and (3) the relationships one has with fellow staff members and students. Santhosh says collaboration, open communication, and workplace friendships make people feel a sense of belonging. When someone feels they are in the right place doing the right things, it contributes to their work happiness.
There are many advantages to workplace happiness and a few are relevant to our New Orleans Job Corps Center. They are tailored below for your consideration and thought:
• Work Happiness Can Increase productivity: Happy employees are more engaged and motivated. A positive work environment where trust and support are present leads to a sense of purpose and commitment. When our Job Corps staff feel a sense of purpose and commitment, our students are better served and our mission can advance.
• Work Happiness Can Lead to Employee Retention: Happy Job Corps staff are more likely to stay working at the New Orleans Job Corps Center. When we can keep great employees happy and retained, the students win, the New Orleans Job Corps Center wins, and API wins. Retention for staff is just as important as it is for students and can lead to organizational stability which makes everyone feel more secure. When staff feel secure in their jobs, they can focus more effectively on their work and produce high-quality results.
• Work Happiness Can Lead to Better Employee Health and Well-being: A happy employee is an employee with an overall sense of well-being. New Orleans Job Corps Center needs to prioritize health and wellness for both staff and students since these can lead to reduced stress levels and improved mental health. Reduced stress levels can (1) contribute to a strong, healthy workplace culture that fosters creativity and productivity, (2) can lead to fewer sick days, and (3) can help reduce depressive symptoms. We should remember that for some of our students and our staff, our Center work environment may be a better place to be than their home environment. We must honor that.
• Work Happiness Can Create Positive Customer Experiences: According to Santhosh, contented employees are more likely to provide excellent customer service. When our Job Corps staff is happy, our customers (our students) are happy. Happy staff are more likely to go out of their way to ensure students’ needs are met. We all know that when students are happy, the entire center is more productive, everyone is more engaged, negative behaviors diminish, and the Center becomes a delightful place to work.
• Work Happiness Can Increase Adaptability and Resilience: Santhosh says that organizations with happy employees can better adapt to change and are better equipped to navigate challenges. We know this is true at our Job Corps Center. In today’s ever-changing DOL environment, it is critical that corporate and center leaders, managers, and staff embrace change positively and work collaboratively to overcome obstacles. When this happens, we develop an attitude of “Bring it on…we can handle anything.” This attitude is a wonderful role model for students. Many of our students have learned adaptability and resilience in their lives to survive, but we need to see how it manifests in the workplace.
So what can you do?
Take the time to thank someone for a job well done. It will make them smile!
Go out of your way to help someone who is struggling. It will increase their positivity and yours.
Don’t allow others on Center to bad mouth or gossip in front of you. Be a part of a new norm. Gossip and bad-mouthing lead to a negative culture and distrust. Ending this can help create a Center culture and is one way to adhere to API’s norms, “respect self, respect others, respect community and strive for excellence.”
Be the first one to look at the positive side of things and help others do the same. Positivity can spread. Emotions are contagious, and humans can feel other people’s energy and begin to experience it in their own bodies. Go ahead and test it!
Get out and about and let others share in your positive attitude. It is important for you to begin this new year by being the one to spread joy and contentment.
Let’s make 2025 the Year of Happiness. I intend to and I hope you do. We benefit the most from it! I wish you joy, peace, and fulfillment.
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