Being happy at work is not nice to have, it’s an essential. We spend a large proportion of our lives at work so it’s definitely worth giving some attention to feeling the happiest you possibly can be in your job. It’s been shown that being happier at work also makes you more productive, more engaged and more well liked. Because people generally like happy people and want to spend time around them. This is the first in a series of blogs looking at factors that contribute to work happiness, and will give you some tips on how you can get more enjoyment from your job. 

So, what do you think is the number one factor for happiness at work? In most surveys, the runaway top factor is…. relationships with your colleagues. Just ask yourself, do you make the most of your work relationships? Doing so could be a major factor in staying positive in your job and thriving at work.

Take a moment to call to mind three people you enjoy socialising with at work – people you like having lunch with or will call for a chat when you’re working from home.   And then think of three people you feel you can trust at work, colleagues you would go to if you’ve made a mistake or need some advice. 

If you struggled to answer those questions, or even if you didn’t, it’s still a great idea to build and sustain your close work relationships, your “like” and “trust” lists. They give you a sense of belonging, of fun and support and these are key people for helping to build your work confidence too.  

And it’s not only your close relationships that matter at work: it really improves the quality of your day when you’re having those smaller interactions with people slightly more on the outside of your network.  It can be very easy to slip into a transactional approach at work.  If you’re really busy or just need an answer, you might get on a call and only discuss the business issue and then move on to your next call.  But this is a missed opportunity for getting more enjoyment from your job.  Taking just a few minutes to ask the other person how they are, what’s going on, sharing a laugh can improve both of your days and help you form a closer bond.  Be realistic of course – if someone’s clearly exceptionally busy, don’t start telling them about your grandmother’s birthday party at the weekend – but generally speaking people welcome and value you initiating some social chat, and it’ll simply brighten your day.

So, take a minute right now to make one commitment to yourself that will improve your social network at work. This could be around:

(a) strengthening your existing friendships, for example committing to plan one social event a week with colleagues, like an in person or virtual lunch or walk.  

(b) making more of your daily interactions, for example committing to making more of an effort to build relationships in and around meetings. 

(c) extending your networks, for example reaching out to catch up with an old colleague, or asking someone to be your mentor (a mentor is an excellent person to add to your “trust” list). 

Whatever it may be, write down your commitment and take the first step to fulfilling it today.

You’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain from strengthening and extending your connections at work – because having those connections is the number one route to enjoying yourself at work. It helps you look forward to your days and grows your support system. So I hope you enjoy building your pre-existing relationships and maybe starting  some new ones.