It’s easy enough for us to find the negatives in certain situations. In fact, science tells us that the human brain is naturally hardwired to pick out the negatives in situations because doing so is a survival strategy. The problem is that in the modern world of work, being overly negative can seriously sap one’s motivation to thrive, advance, and progress in the workplace. Given this, it is no surprise that many people struggle to make an impact at work.

One of the major keys to being successful in any workplace is in finding a level of contentment that drives your activities. Despite the fact that there are thousands of different kinds of jobs out there, they all share one common principle: a happy worker is a more productive worker, and a more productive worker is more likely to advance their career.

How to Be Happy

Study after study demonstrates that people who are happy in their workplace are actually more productive, less likely to look for another job, and more likely to earn a promotion. Rather than seeing work as a chore, it is important to identify the positives in the experience. It may be difficult at first, but continually striving to do so will eventually pay dividends as you observe your level of contentment growing, and your colleagues noticing the difference.

One of the best ways to find happiness at work is to set a realistic goal. Do you want to one day be a team leader? Do you have plans to move into another department? Many employers offer regular training courses that are specifically tailored to their industry. By committing to a course of study, you may just find a real purpose at work and a motivation that leads to a greater sense of contentment.

Moving Up the Food Chain

Consider the employee who has a goal of becoming a team leader, supervisor, or site manager one day. An employer-organised management course may provide a real opportunity to gain the skills required to be considered for a future promotion. Many companies welcome such motivated employees because they bring the following benefits:

• Motivation: As stated earlier, a more content employee is a more productive employee. For a business organising a tailor-made course in management, having more of their employees interested and engaged in the training process may contribute to a better working environment and a happier working environment where employees feel valued.
• Operational efficiency: When more of your employees have management skills, your work team improves as a whole. Problems can be dealt with more efficiently by a greater number of employees, and daily workflows are generally more productive and efficient.
• Coverage: How much does employee absenteeism affect your business? When you have multiple employees engaged in management courses, they are better able to cover employees who are on leave, or those who are absent.

It’s important to find your happiness at work because it not only benefits the business, but also makes you feel more valued and motivated, and it increases your opportunities for promotion and recognition.