The Happy At Work Manifesto

Written by

July 12, 2007

The Happy at Work Manifesto is now live at ChangeThis.

The manifesto is a declaration of principles and intentions for those of us who have decided, that we want to be happy at work.

It’s for everyone who thinks we should stopped putting up with unhappy workplaces, bad bosses and unpleasant working conditions. It’s for those of us who know that unhappiness at work is not a minor annoyance; that it can make us despondent, cynical and negative and worst case, make us sick or kill us.

It’s a manifesto for people who want to be happy at work, to get more energy, drive, fun, good experiences, creativity, productivity and success. Who know that this is how we must work from now on – with happiness!

Read the Happy at Work Manifesto here.

If you like it, please forward it to others who may also enjoy it – or need it :o) There’s a “Send This” button on the ChangeThis page you can use to pass it on.

Comments

18 responses to “The Happy At Work Manifesto”

July 12, 2007

Grayson De Ritis

Fantastic, I’ll give this a go asap. Cheers, Alex.
July 13, 2007

EvenHappier

Response-ability. Understanding that you are free to react in any way you fancy. Are you having a personal problem? Have you won the lottery? External events cannot MAKE you happy or unhappy, it is the way you REACT to them which shape your internal experience, at work and elsewhere. I know you must have heard it a thousand time, but did it actually sink in? Of course there are also time in which an external events become unbearable. So as Alex says in his manifesto: “Fix your job or quit!”
July 13, 2007

Michael Clarke

Hmm. Alex, I want to like this but maybe it’s the old lefty in me that whispers “Sometimes wanting to be happy just isn’t enough.” On the other hand, it’s a great manifesto for me to take on board as a boss – if i’m not working every day to try and make the things you list possible for people, then I’m not doing my job…
July 13, 2007

Alexander

Michael: You’re absolutely right – wanting to be happy is not enough.

But you have to START with that choice. If a person hasn’t chosen to be happy at work, there is very little chance that person will ever be.

Once you decide that happiness at work is something you want, something that will make you more efficient, more successful and let you have more fun at work it is of course time to do something about it.

Does that make sense?
July 13, 2007

Michael Clarke

Hey

I agree that within the context of the kind of jobs all of us likely to encounter this have, this all makes sense. Slightly more radical action might be needed for Chinese sweatshop workers, however. That sounds snide and smug and I don’t mean it to be – as I said above, it’s a manifesto I should take on board personally and as a manager in how I approach people…

I applaud you for sticking your neck out in a world of nasty cynics like me!

Cheers

Michael
July 17, 2007

Bryan Person, Monster Blogger

Great manifesto, Alexander. I particularly like point No. 6

“Something will happen when I do something. As long as I sit on my butt and wait for my co-workers, my employees or my workplace to do something to make me happy, nothing will happen.”

There are always going to be snotty co-workers, clueless managers, and people who seem to want — or, in fact, do want — to sabotage our path to workplace happiness and success. And if we let all or any of these people stand in our way, then we’ll remain stuck on our butt. It is ultimately up to each of us to take responsibility for own job and own careers.
July 18, 2007

links for 2007-07-17

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