Resolve to be happier at work this year

Personal resolutions may be at the top of everybody’s list this time of year, but it’s also good to make some changes at work to improve the office environment. Whether your goal is to boost your own mood or the entire team’s, here are simple steps you can take to help out.

Our friends at Fresh Tracks recommend eliminating formal meetings on Mondays and Wednesdays in favour of lunches and chats over coffee. Research by think tank Career Innovations shows that by having better conversations organisations can build trust, increase employee engagement and retain talent more effectively.

Try switching things up by sitting with a different department for a day or two. You’ll be able to overhear what’s going on throughout the business, giving you a better idea of the way things work and reducing the chances of communication breakdown between groups in the future.

Add an element of play to the office, whether it’s inviting colleagues to participate in a game on Fridays, or including a competitive edge to workplace goals. There’s no need to let the tendency to separate work and play overcome the desire to make your company more fun.

This ties in perfectly with a tip from the Professor of Business at Troy University in Alabama, Mike Schraeder, who says we should find something to laugh about every day. Watch some work-appropriate funny videos on the internet, or take a moment to share some amusing stories during a meeting.

Doing something nice for a colleague not only boosts their mood, but can make you feel good too. Stay a few minutes late to help somebody meet a deadline, offer to keep their paperwork organised while they’re away, or simply make them a cup of tea unexpectedly. Show your gratitude if somebody does the same for you.

When you’re working on a project, try championing a team member’s ideas. It only takes a little bit of effort, but it can go a long way to improving group morale and gets the job done faster.