In the UAE, we are a relatively happy society, with a Happiness Index of 6.5 out of 8 in 2021 (amidst the pandemic no less), coming in 25th in the world. Despite this, we are seeing a global trend of a lack of happiness in the workplace. Signaled by workplace trends such as the Great Resignation in the west, and phenomena like Tang Ping in China (lying-flat). People are opting out of traditional workplace conditions for a variety of reasons. Could a lack of happiness be one of them?
For many people around the world, working hours are getting longer and technology is eroding what was left of leisure time. As the urban populations grow, commute times are longer, and leisure time is less. Part of the reason for the great resignation is that there is insufficient staffing, and those left behind are overworked.
As a result, people are opting out of the workplace altogether despite some firms offering work-from-away schemes. It is apparently not enough to entice workers as job dissatisfaction grows. Perhaps, they are simply not happy.
Nearly 38 percent of the employees in the Gallup study said they had felt burned out due to work-related stress in the last 30 days. And about half said they don’t spend enough quality time with their families and friends. In Dubai, for example, could that have been due to residents working among the longest hours in the world? The report concludes that UAE organisations can be proud of its employee wellbeing and engagement policies, but they must also address burnout through improved manager training.
For many employees, however, waiting on a change from management is only half of the story. If you are unhappy in the workplace, what steps can you follow to take ownership of your happiness and support the happiness of others around you?
The first is to stand back and evaluate why you’re unhappy. This is where it’s important to be honest with yourself. Does the responsibility to address unhappiness lie with your company, or is the dissatisfaction something you have the power to address?
The next stage is to talk with your boss to see if your offer to contribute in some new way can be accommodated by your company. A survey last year by Bayt.com found that 21 percent of professionals are looking to learn new skills at work – you should always be in that self-motivated group. Learning new things can help make us happier.
If your company cares about its employees, it will almost certainly be supportive of your offer to broaden your skills. Multiple studies show the value of empowering and developing people in terms of performance and loyalty.
The final piece of advice I would offer is to ensure that you have the right mindset to prepare you for an uncertain future. In the short term, around 86 percent of the 1,300 global CEOs surveyed fear a recession next year, while automation may take the place of 800 million jobs by 2030.
Against this backdrop, it is up to you to navigate your way through these complexities.
You may well have employers that will support you through this process – which will benefit you and them. If this is not the case, you owe it to yourself to find happiness in other ways and spaces.