搜索
ThankGodIt'sMondayByJyotiThottam[1]Asresearchersinpsychology,economicsandorganizationalbehaviorhavebeengraduallydiscovering,theexperienceofbeinghappyatworklooksverysimilaracrossprofessions.People,wholovetheirjobs,feelchallengedbytheirworkbutincontrolofit.Theyhavebosseswhomakethemfeelappreciated(enjoyed)andco-workerstheylike.Theycanfindmeaning(interest/significance)inwhatevertheydo.Andtheyaren'tjustlucky.Ittakesrealefforttoreachthatsublimestate(status).[2]Anevenbiggerobstacle,though（however）,maybeourlowexpectationsonthejob.Love,family,community(society)—thosearesupposed(thought)tobethetruesourcesofhappiness,whileworksimply(only)givesusthemeans(tools)toenjoythem.MihalyCsikszentmihalyi,whocoinedthetermflow(happiness-ebb),whichadherents(supporter)ofpositivepsychologywouldusetodescribethejob-inducedhighs(highspirit/happiness),saysthatdistinction(difference)isafalseone.Anythingcanbeenjoyableiftheelementsofflowarepresent,hewritesinhisbookGoodBusiness.Withinthatframework,doingaseeminglyboringjobcanbeasourceofgreaterfulfillment(achievement)thanone(anybody)everthoughtpossible.[3]Csikszentmihalyiencourages(urge)ustoreachastate(level/status)inwhichworkisanextensionofwhatwenaturallywanttodo.Immersed(absorbed)inthepleasureofwork,wedon'tworryaboutitsultimate(final)reward.Ifthatsoundsoutofreach,takeheart(tryone’sbest).Youmaysoongetsomeencouragementfromtheheadoffice(headquarters).Agrowing(increasing)body(amount)ofresearchisdemonstrating(showing)thathappyworkersnotonlyarehappierinlifebutarealsocrucial(mostimportant)tothehealthofacompany.[4]Thirty-fiveyearsago,theGallupOrganizationstartedresearchingwhypeopleincertainworkgroups,evenwithinthesamecompany,weresomuchmoreeffective(-efficient)thanothers.DonaldClifton,theGallupresearcherwhopioneeredthatwork,conducted(directed)aseriesofextensiveinterviewswithhighlyproductiveteamsofworkers.Fromthoseinterviews,Gallupdevelopedasetof12statements(rules/points)designedtomeasureemployees'overall(general)levelofhappinesswiththeirwork,whichGallupcallsengagement.Someofthe(criterion-)criteriareflecttheobviousrequirementsofanyworker(Doyouhavewhatyouneedtodoyourjob?Doyouknowwhat'sexpectedofyouatwork?),whileothersreveal(show)moresubtlevariables(Doyouhaveabestfriendatwork?Doesyoursupervisor(boss)orsomeoneelseatworkcareaboutyouasaperson?).Gallupstartedthesurveyin1998,anditnowincludes5.4millionemployeesat474organizations;Gallupalsodoesperiodicrandompollsofworkersindifferentcountries.[5]Thepollspaintapictureofaratherdisaffected(unpleasant/unsatisfying)U.S.workforce.Inthemostrecentpoll,fromSeptember2004,only29%ofworkerssaidtheywereengagedwiththeirwork.Morethanhalf,55%,werenotengaged,and16%wereactivelydisengaged.Still(Furthermore),thosenumbersarebetterthanthose(figures)inmanyothercountries.ThepercentageofengagedworkersintheU.S.ismorethantwiceaslargeasGermany'sandthreetimesasgreatasSingapore's.Butneitherthelate1990sboomnorthesubsequent（following）bust(depression)hadmuchimpact(influence)ineitherdirection,indicating(showing/implying)thatthestateofworkerhappinessgoesmuchdeeperthantheswings(waves)oftheeconomy.[6]JamesHarter,apsychologistdirecting(conducting)thatresearchatGallup,saysmanycompaniesaresimplymisreading(-misled/don’tknow)whatmakespeoplehappyatwork.Beyondacertainminimumlevel,itisn'tpayorbenefits;it'sstrongrelationshipswithco-workersandasupportiveboss.Thesearebasichumanneedsintheworkplace,butthey'renottheonesthoughtbymanagerstobeveryimportant.Hartersays.Galluphasfoundthatastrongpositiveresponsetothestatement(questiononquestioner)Ihaveabestfriendatwork,forexample,isapowerfulpredictorforengagementatworkandiscorrelatedwithprofitabilityandconnectionwithcustomers.Itindicates(shows)ahighlevelofbelonging,Hattersays.[7]Withoutit,ajobthatlooks(seems)goodonpaper(theoretically)canmakeaworkermiserable[tolive/leadamiserable/happylife].MartinaRadix,41,tradedahigh-pressurejobasanexecutiveassistantatacompanywhereshelikedhercolleaguesforalesstaxingpositionasaclericalworker(clerk)inalawfirmsixyearsago.Shehasmore(free)timeandflexibilitybutfeelsstifled(depressed)byherco-workersandunappreciatedbyherboss.Iamamisfit(mismatch)inthatdepartment,shesays.Nomatterhowgoodyourpersonallifeis,ifyougointoabad(atom-)atmosphereatwork,ittakesawayfromit.[8]Infact,engagementatworkislessafunctionofyourpersonalitythanishappinessingeneral.Harterestimatesthatindividualdisposition(personality)accountsfor(takeup/explain)onlyabout30%ofthedifferencebetweenemployeeswhoarehighlyengagedandthosewhoarenot.Therestofitisshaped(decided)bythehundredsofinteractionsthatemployeeshaveeverydaywithco-workers,supervisorsandcustomers.[9]Themostdirectfix(remedy/cure/solution),then,istoseekout(lookfor)asupportive(positive)workplace.Findingajobthatfitsalifecalling(need)unlocksthedoortohappiness.LissetteMendez,33,saysherjobcoordinatingtheannualbookfairatMiamiDadeCollegeistheoneshewasborntodo.Booksareaninextricable(inseparable)partofmylife,shesays.[10]Evenifyourpassion(-passionate)doesnoteasilytranslateintoaprofession(job-career),youcanstillfindhappinessonthejo