A recent Fast Company article by Harvey Deutschendorf, an emotional intelligence expert, identifies seven habits of people who are happy at work. When I started reading the list of habits, I noticed a lot of the same behaviors from my coworkers. That got me thinking, clearly we’ve done something right at ECPR, but what is it?
Below is the list of seven habits and my take on each one at ECPR.
1) They have committed to continuously improving as a lifetime goal.
I believe that companies who want more than the status quo hire employees who are just that—more than the status quo. We are happy at ECPR because we like giving our best. It makes us feel good. Seeing our clients in the media brightens our day.
2) They have goals worth striving for.
At ECPR, we set clear expectations and goals. Because of this, everyday challenges such as working with a reporter who is on deadline aren’t a problem. We know at the end of the day that helping them means we were successful.
3) They don’t get caught up in issues beyond their control.
According to Deutschendorf, “Happier people don’t let themselves get emotionally caught up in negative vibes or gossip that is toxic in the workplace.” I can honestly say that every single person in our office follows this rule, and as a result, there are no negative vibes or toxic gossip. By focusing on the work at hand and what we are able to do, we don’t have time to create conflict nor would we want to.
4) They are willing to help others.
There’s no denying that helping others will make you feel warm and fuzzy. We work in teams, and as such, we have to help each other to succeed. Many of our coworkers carry this philosophy outside of the office and contribute to the community as well, which just makes for overall happy people.
5) They avoid negative people as much as possible.
From our employees to our clients, we like to work with people who are positive. Positive energy creates a more productive workplace.
6) They make gratitude an integral part of their life.
Happy people are grateful for what they have. We work at an office where good work is recognized. We congratulate our teammates on their successes and it encourages the good work to continue.
7) They manage their emotions and have a sense of humor.
We spend a lot of time at work and like to have fun with our colleagues. If something is stressful, a little distraction can make you smile. Whether it’s a Starbucks run, a piece of candy, or a 10-minute walk around the office, it’s those little distractions that make us happy.
-Kat Harris
Senior Account Executive
Everything You Need to Know About Happiness in One Infographic
