Check out this comment on Euan Semple’s blog:
I was – seriously – asked in my annual review last year to stop saying ‘I have a fantastic job’… apparently it’s not fair on those who don’t.
I told my manager that the freedom to say that I love my job was indeed a dealbreaker… he looked sheepish and the conversation ended.
Interesting approach – rather than make the unhappy employees happier at work, managers could just stop the happy ones from expressing their happiness. Sheesh!
Related posts:
People are amazing. I know people like that exist because I’ve met them. I’m glad the guy didn’t back down.
WHAT? The manager should be thanking his lucky stars he has such a happy employee.
HR is right but there are organizations, particularly large ones, that manage to the lowest common denominator. It is the same concept of the teacher moving at the pace of the slower students. The fast kids with potential either conform, misbehave, or leave (and are asked to leave) the system. No one ever wants to admit this phenomenon exists but they know that it does.
I was at a former job pulled aside by management and told I shouldn’t express my positivity and happiness for the product we were making. Apparently it made other colleagues on my team irritated and frustrated as they didn’t believe in what we did as I much as I did… For several reasons I conformed at the time – I guarantee I won’t make that mistake ever again as the absence of expressing joy and positivity and focusing on all the things that were “wrong” steadily drove the spirit of the team into an ireversible downward spiral – ending with the company going bankrupt…
Thanks for reminding me! :)
“I can’t believe it – a newsletter actually worth reading!”
– Subscriber
Over 6,000 people subscribe to our newsletter with tons of tips about happiness at work.
“It’s very, very good. It’s incredibly well written, full of insights, and there are exercises to improve your own happiness at work. You can’t ask for more than that!”
– David Maister, author of Practice What You Preach
“What an inspiring book. Every leader should read it. This type of leadership has been integral to our success and I know it will boost your results too.“
– Garry Ridge, CEO WD-40 Company
Over 6,000 people already get our free newsletter with useful tips, videos, links and articles about happiness at work.
Subscribe to our newsletter here.
The Chief Happiness Officer Academy is our most in-depth 3-day training where we share everything we know about creating happier workplaces. Get an in-depth background in happiness at work, hear about the latest research in the field and learn how to use this in your own business.
Leave a Reply