Joy is defined as a feeling of great pleasure and happiness. An A.T. Kearney study reported a pre-Covid-19 “Joy Gap at Work” of 53% in the US. This gap reflects that while 90% of respondents “expect” to feel joy at work only 37% reported they “actually do”. The seven attributes most related to experiencing joy at work fell into three buckets, the workers sense of harmony, impact, and acknowledgement.
Harmony attributes:
1. I understand my role and the role of others on the team
2. There are strong bonds within my team
3. My talents are utilized effectively
Impact attributes:
4. My role is critical to the success of the team
5. I understand how my role contributes to business success
Acknowledgement:
6. Shared success is celebrated within the team
7. Colleagues acknowledge others’ contributions to team success
Take a moment to consider which attribute is most important to you relative to your happiness at work? What about for your direct reports? How, if at all, has the current work from home environment impacted these attributes?
When @theandgroup brings clients solutions, we aim to deliver them in a way that enhance feelings of joy within the organization, joy in a job well done, in a result that was hard fought for, a new capability that will enable the team to work more effectively. Whether we are delivering strategy navigation, insight, inspiration, or solving for gaps in organizational mastery, we see our clients’ employees as a critical part of the company’s IP and support them as such.
Learning that the attribute with the biggest joy gap at work stems from not understanding “how my role contributes to business success” encourages us to do more. If you would like to increase joy within your organization, reach out at lportercox@theandgroup.com or call 512-401-7591.