Creating better and happier workplaces was a consistent message reverberating through this jam-packed weekend at #SHRM19. Speaking as part of the conference’s Change-Makers Series introduced me to Human Resources professionals and leaders who were eager to bring more positive changes to their workplace on the fronts of work/life integration, innovation, and employee engagement. As the workplace continues to change more quickly than ever before, it was apparent from the event’s highlights that organizations are readying to lead differently in the coming years. Click here for the link to my exclusive event resources and read on for my top highlights:
Revisiting the responsibility to create a happier workplace
My keynote at #SHRM19 revolved around the role of happiness at work. Happiness is not a fluffy concept as most people previously thought. In fact, by nature, we’re hardwired to seek happiness. Yet as the world has changed rapidly from new, innovative technologies, humans are still having difficulty creating happiness on their own. Almost everyone can name a time where they sought happiness in the *wrong* place. Being that we spend so much of our lives working, our personal happiness is heavily influenced by the way we work.
Most of the last century compartmentalized our personal lives away from work - which has been necessary in some cases to advance industries and economies. It is now, however, that we as humans are calling back the need for emotional intelligence, purpose, and values into the workplace, understanding that we are very different from the machines we’ve built to carry on the work we’ve been doing.
It was so awesome to bring this message and the Science of Happiness into the HR conversation for attendees; if you came to my keynote, don’t forget to access my free resources.
Smiling attendees at the book-signing
Can you believe the Delivering Happiness book has been around for almost ten years? In that time, Tony Hsieh and I have been traveling around the world, sharing the message of the book that still rings true: profits, passion, and purpose are possible for workplaces around the world. After my keynote, I met with attendees at the book-signing to chat with them about how the book has influenced their lives both in their personal and work lives (really, they’re one and the same)!
I caught up with Jason Collett, host of SHRM’s hot takes roundtable interview series, to talk about the creation of the Zappos Culture Book and how happiness can be a business model for organizations today. What I loved about this interview was being able to bridge the role of culture in creating happiness at work in a sustainable, profitable way. As I say in my talks, strategy is what you think, brand is what you say, and culture is what you do. Within your culture, you can integrate the elements of happiness that, in our culture-building experience and research, we’ve found essential for creating happiness at work. If you’re not putting the work into designing your ideal culture, your culture might take on a life of its own that you may not recognize. It’s important to then look to define, measure, and evolve your company culture just the same as other aspects of your business. Thanks for having me on this!
Jenn is the CEO of Delivering Happiness (DH), a company she and Tony Hsieh (CEO of Zappos.com) co-founded to inspire science-based happiness, passion, and purpose at work and in everyday life.
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