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The price of happiness in the workplace
Who we work with can be more important than how much we make.
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A lot of research over the past few years shows that more money won’t necessarily make you happier, and being happy at work can be more imporant than you think. No question, it’s hard to find much joy at work if you’re distracted by financial worries. But raises that push pay levels to $70,000 and beyond, don’t yield greater happiness. Why? Well, it turns out that most good events in life give us just a few hours or days of elation before we settle back to our baseline everyday selves.
Don’t believe me?
Studies show that people may be drawn to a job by higher pay, but they often quit because they’re unhappy with the work environment. There’s only a weak link between pay and job satisfaction. In fact, the top half of wage-earners are no more satisfied than the bottom half. My research found that professionals reflecting on their work days almost never talked about pay, bonuses or raises. But they had plenty to say about things that affected their happiness. Relationships with colleagues, support from managers and progress in work they cared about.
But if you still think extra money is worth some suffering, consider the consequences. Your happiness at work affects your productivity and creativity. When you’re happier, you’re less likely to get sick. And I’m talking about everything from getting a cold to having a stroke. And at the end of the day, how happy you are at work carries over to how happy you are at home and in the rest of your life.
So that raise surely would be nice, but if you think it will turn your work life rosy, think again.
Nerf ball and free food can be great…but if it gets in the way of getting my work done I’m not so up for the “perk”. Why do I really like my job (despite the hours and lower pay)? Easy answer - The relationships I have at work. Our executive team is really a team…each with our individual strengths and challenges (duh, right?). Not being strong in a particular area doesn’t mean we get a pass…but we can lean on the other person and learn from them until we develop better competencies. We all know and appreciate that each of us is a work in progress and we will all have our turns at “shining” and then needing to leaning on our colleagues for assistance. We are competitive with ourselves as individuals to do better…but not competitive against one another. That would just be stupid.
I have a program that is struggling right now to create a good team (a lot of staff turnover lately that is taking a toll on those that have been in place and heard us say…”it’ll get better”). I went in and did damage control and gave the pep talk 6 weeks ago. Yesterday we had to let another new person go. I was supported all around. My boss’s (the CEO) question was “what do you need form me”? Knowing her schedule was full, I told her anyway that I needed her to come to the team meeting with me and offer a different kind of message to the remaining clinical team there. She did it happily. In turn, I can also support the manager and his team…happily.
I make less money than I should and I put in way more hours than I “should”. I do it because I feel like what I do makes a difference and I am fully supported in doing it.
I heard on your show that once your income approaches $70,000 per individual, then more money does not equal a significant rise in happiness. I am a regular NPR listener, a college grad and a professional. My friends are much like me, yet it would take combining any two of our incomes to equal or slightly surpass $70,000 in a year. My question is,"Do the people I hear on your show make as much as $70,000 per year each?" Since this story was told without flinching by any of it's presenters, I'm assuming they do. In the past 2 years I have received 2 pay cuts and barely missed being laid-off. I hear on the radio that much of America has had similar experiences. I see it around me as well. I suppose NPR has to communicate with the wealthy, but still unhappy, America, as well as with the rest of us. But if you guys are making $70,000 per year each, I now know where much of our pledge money goes. Enjoy it folks, and remember to be happy!
