The last week of September (23rd-27th September 2024) is International Week of Happiness at Work, encouraging both individuals and organisations to pay more attention to happiness at work.
The international movement highlights the fact that we spend a significant portion of our lives at work, and it therefore has a major influence on our overall happiness and mental wellbeing.
The organisers, Happy Office and Woohoo Unlimited, say they “want to put this theme on the map for as many organisations as possible, both domestically and internationally. This way, we ensure that the movement towards a greater work happiness grows, for both organisations and individuals.”
Investing in happiness at work benefits business
The Happy Office initiative, supported by a number of partners globally, began in 2018 and now boasts a roster of 50 participating countries and over 350 companies.
Happy Office concentrates on supporting businesses and organisations on their journey to developing a positive work culture, thereby boosting happiness at work. They want to drive home the message that investment in workplace happiness is as good for businesses as it is for workers, offering benefits such as:
- Reduced employee turnover
- More engaged employees, with reduction in issues such as ‘absenteeism’ and ‘presenteeism’
- Increased cooperation, productivity and innovation
- Competitive advantage
Initiate conversations about happiness at work
They say that, while most of us agree that happiness at work is important, many workers are still unhappy in their roles. In fact, data suggests that 27% of employees have one or more bad workdays each week.
The International Week of Happiness at Work aims to initiate conversations about workplace happiness and wellbeing and invites organisations to set up their own events. Individuals and organisations who want to get involved can:
- Access a free toolbox for happiness at work
- Find out what’s happening in your country
- Sign the manifesto to make happiness at work the norm, not the exception
- Read related news and blogs
Training to support happiness at work
First Response Training (FRT) is a leading national training provider delivering courses in subjects such as health and safety, first aid, fire safety, manual handling, food safety, mental health, health and social care and more.
An accredited Mindful Employer themselves, FRT’s specialist mental health training courses include Understanding Mental Health, Mental Health Awareness in the Workplace, Managing Stress, Anxiety and Phobias Awareness, Self-Harm Awareness and Suicide Awareness. They also provide workplace training in topics such as Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
A trainer from FRT says:
“Our happiness at work can impact our happiness in other areas of our lives, and significantly affect our mental health and wellbeing.
“As we spend so much of our lives at work, it’s vital to find happiness at work, and the importance of fostering a positive workplace culture and supporting wellbeing at work should not be underestimated. Businesses which prioritise workplace happiness will reap the financial and emotional benefits, boost their productivity and enhance workforce resilience.”
Resources to support wellbeing at work
A brief summary of our mental health training can now be downloaded as an infographic.
We also have a number of other free infographics available to download which provide simple tips for helping to manage your mental wellbeing and promote happiness at work. These include:
You can also download our free Guide to Mental Health Training from our website.
For more information on the training that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com.