Test yourself: Do you make your colleagues happy at work?

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10 responses to “Test yourself: Do you make your colleagues happy at work?”

1. 

   May 27, 2008

   Kuri

   This is a really cool idea. I’m interested to know, however, how many people actually friend their co-workers on Facebook! I could friend a very select group of highly trusted co-workers (a select group of 1, actually) in my old job and certainly no one from my current office, which is a hornets nest of feuds and bullying competitions combined with indecisive and lazy management.

   At least 3 of my Facebook friends, have had incidents where a cryptic status update or joining a group got them in trouble as nosey co-workers used the information in smear campaigns against them. Even letting co-workers know things like religious or political status can be problematic.

   Come to think of it, the people with the most toxic workplaces are least likely to friend co-workers: the trust just isn’t there. So, in some ways, the people most likely to get an “unhappy” rating probably won’t have enough co-worker friends to actually use the application.
2. 

   May 27, 2008

   Alexander

   That is an excellent point Kuri, and I’ll be interested in seeing how many people have problems with this.

   I’m seriously thinking of developing a non-Facebook version of the same applications, where you simply enter the email-addresses of the people you want to invite.

   Would work about the same…

   We’ll let the Facebook version run for a while and then see what happens :o)
3. June 5, 2008

   Big Think mobile edition

   […] either. So let’s say you want to know if you make your co-workers happy. Here’s a test developed by the Chief Happiness Officer, Alexander Kjerulf. You have to be a Facebook user to take the test. Commenters on his post suggest […]
4. 

   June 6, 2008

   Steve

   I don’t know about your company, but FaceBook is strictly off-limits at ours. In fact, it is excluded behind our firewall.

   Sounds like what you’re talking about used to be called 360
5. 

   June 11, 2008

   Frode

   Hi.
   This do not work out. I have a lot of co-workers that just do not want to answer, as they also have to add the application. Steve is also into something. Not all companies do allow facebook. Mine did not allow it for a while only to find out that it was a greater problem with the employees finding other ways to check for facebook updates, so now it is back on. I do not use facebook during working hours. We mostly spend our day racing with our Scalextric race track. :)
   I also want to praise your Happy hour book. I got promoted 1. Mai this year and within the first month we have had a lot of fun, and we have chrushed all prior records. My boss said, give “my” departement a challenge and they create gold! The book have helped me to do this.
6. 

   June 11, 2008

   Frode

   My point was… yes, I lost track.. :) I vote for some kind of none-facebook application. Give us some kind of “quiz” – php and MySQL can complete this task for you. And we can invite fellow co-workers to attend by e-mailing a link. Not all of them is on facebook :)
7. 

   June 13, 2008

   mirc

   Very Good Facebook.
8. 

   July 5, 2008

   denise

   This might seem like a COOL idea to some people, but to me it just opens the door to allowing my previous and present Nosey, Irritating, Controlling co-workers ensure themselves that their importance is my lifes work. My annoying previous and present co-workers somehow believe I should be making them happy. I am not a bully, controller or manipulator, just someone who wants to do my job, leave and resume the personal aspect of my life during my unpaid time. They would relish knowing that after I left the premises, THEY were still in my thoughts and creating some kind of existential doubt. Making people Happy is not part of my job description and it is also no humanly possible to achieve. Happiness comes from within, if it is dependent on external factors( another person, place, thing), then it isn’t happiness, nor will it last.

   I already know what makes my co-workers feel I make their lives miserable…minding my own business, having personal experiences I don’t relate, being happy with my life and vomiting very little about myself. People will tell you anything, everything and in time you realize they have said nothing. Those who are interested spend time getting to know me and I do the same with them, the others just have conditions and hurdles they want me to jump over to prove my likeability, and willingness to be manipulated into a friendly member of their clique. Personally I could care less about those people, whatever they think is controlled by them, not me. People who KNOW ME don’t need Facebook, MySpace etc. to tell me anything about me or themselves. We interact on a personal level, verbally honest, supportive and personally caring about each individuals success. Not one of us needs a forum for communication as it’s already in place. We also don’t need questions to bring insights, as we look out for each other in very humane ways. We are varied in ages (late 20’s to early 60’s) , work well together and are friends who know each other, not people with abstract opinions about perceptions that have to be explained, rehashed, repented, apologized for. If I am an ass, I can be sure one of them will notice and non-judgementally we will discuss it and that works in the opposite also. At work we are seen as a cohesive group, one that continuously gets better, so we are making an impact and the circle grows larger. We would much rather effect real change in the workplace, than just talk about it. We have a couple of after hours meetings a month where we discuss our work environment and develop a model for the next months changes and aspirations, individually and as a group.

   I hope this works well for you and others who join this initiative, but please don’t forget the personal factor and also the need to completely engage the humans as people. Sometimes all this talk is just venting and of no use, anxiety creating or self-esteem killing. You must ensure balance and genuine reflection and care for each other when something like this is engaged in. All the best and I pray it is helpful, nurturing and empowering!
9. 

   July 7, 2008

   Scott Stratten

   Some serious comments on here!!

   Who did you get to develop the program for FB?
10. November 4, 2008

    Lots and lots (and lots) of links about happiness at work

    […] we’re launching yet another resource for happiness at work (in addition to our Facebook app and our Twitter account): The Happy at Work Link […]

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