If you’re having a hard time pinpointing what makes you happy at work, take a tip from International best-selling author Jim Donovan. Find a way to be happy or leave!
Donovan says, “If you can’t leave, learn to make yourself happy. There are always choices. He adds, “It’s your life. If you’re going to spend 40 hours, 50 hours, intentionally, voluntarily being unhappy, you need help.”
Donovan’ s background is in personal development with a focus on helping individuals live the life they were born to live. Since work is a big part of most people’s lives, his latest book, “Happy@ Work: 60 Simple Ways to Stay Engaged and Be Successful” (New World Library 2014), outlines practical steps to achieve happiness on the job.
“Happy people are more engaged and productive. Companies with happier people typically enjoy increased revenue, lower turnover and higher customer retention. Everyone wins,” Donovan says.
A recent Gallup poll reported employee disengagement in the U.S. is as high as 70% which is costing the U.S. more than $550 billion a year in lost productivity.
Donovan says countries like Singapore have much higher employee engagement. Simply to stay competitive, he believes it makes good business sense for U.S. employers to foster a happier work environment.
“Studies in the hospital industry show when you have happy nurses, customer service improves. They have measured customer service improvements based on the happiness factor of the staff,” Donovan says.
The book, Happy@Work, is organized into 60 chapters of about 2 pages each. Donovan has written three books like this and says it’s a format readers appreciate.
“You can open it anywhere. You can open it right in the middle. You can read it front to back, but you don’t have to read it front to back.”
Donovan recommends reading one chapter each morning and then letting that chapter’s idea, tip or strategy incubate throughout the day.
He adds, “I want to give you credit for knowing what to do next. I’m saying, here is an idea you might be able to play with. Experiment.”
Donovan has developed a Happy@Work™ workshop to teach employees how to apply the principles in the book to reduce overwhelm and increase productivity.
“A big part of the workshop is understanding beliefs and self talk, vision and goals. How does that all come together? How can I really create the life that I was born to live?”
He also recently launched new “Happy@Work™” Employee Development Programs for managers and salespeople.
Ultimately, Donovan would like to see managers use the book’s material to coach their employees.
”Happy@ Work: 60 Simple Ways to Stay Engaged and Be Successful” is available wherever books are sold.
Jim Donovan is the author of 6 books and a small-business owner, consultant and speaker. He has worked with employees and employers for twenty-five years. You can find out more at JimDonovan.com.