Employees and Organizational Wellness Framework 

When we discuss happiness, we often think of individual happiness, and inside the organization, that means employees' satisfaction. However, to look at the big picture, we need to also look at Organizational Wellness. I will present an organization and employee happiness framework that you can use as a base (or change it to fit your organization). This framework consists of four categories: employee status, income, friendship, and work activities. We will also look at what you as a leader should be doing to improve the quality of your organization and employees' happiness level.  

Bellow, you will find a Framework with categories, reference - the research behind each category, and action to be performed by you - organizational leader. So, suppose you're looking to get in even more profound and understand the fundamental research. In that case, you will see the reference, and you will be able to find the reference paper or research paper by clicking on the links provided in the table below.  

One thing that will help you here a lot is knowledge of Positive Psychology and Positive Psychology Coaching. You can find more on that subject here. 

Employee status 

Here are the findings as far as the employee status.   There are no surprises here—employment equals happiness. Well, partially, at least because as we know, there are other factors that affect our happiness. Here we are discussing employee happiness and well-being.

When we are employed and have an income, of course, we are happier than unemployed people. Unemployed folks might be unhappy because they may not be able to provide the basic human needs for themselves and their families. 

So, what can you, the organizational leader, do to improve the category of employment status? 

You should coach employees on authentic happiness. Although they are employed now, that's just the beginning of their employment happiness. As a leader, they expect you to lead not only on an organizational and technical level but also in every way, including positivity. That includes coaching business relationships, engagement and flow,  resilience, and overall organizational wellbeing.  

Income

Based on a lot of findings, we know that income affects happiness. There are different numbers shown in further research. I'm not going to give you the exact number - what makes you or your team members happy- because average income changes depending on where you live.   Even if I write this just for my students, they live in 170 countries. How do I know, and would any researcher knows, what the right income level for you to be happy is? No. They would not know that. And I do not know that.

Let's look at what you can do as an organizational leader here. What is your action? 

You should work with Human resources and C-level executives to ensure appropriate income for your employees. Even if your responsibility is not defining salary levels, you need to work with other organizational leaders to ensure proper income that at least reaches the level where overall happiness improves or is not negatively affected. 

Friendship 

Based on findings,  positive friendships and successful relationships are equal to happiness. The fact is that relationships are the number one predictor of happiness. As an organizational leader, you need to develop programs and coach your employees on relationships. This is where you can have a significant impact. Employees need to understand how relationships and friendship can help them become happier. Once they achieve a certain happiness level inside the organization, they will do anything to help the company improve the bottom line. 

Work activities

Based on the research, specific activities are positively associated with happiness. I don't think there is much surprise here. The question is, what kind of activities and what can you do as a leader?

This is where you can have the most significant impact on the Authentic Organizational and Employees Wellbeing Framework. I suggest you implement and facilitate activities associated with Positive Psychology Coaching and do the workshops, group sessions, mentoring, coaching, etc. 

Suppose you need help in creating such activities. In that case, Life Success Academy can train and certify a Positive Psychology Master Coach from your organization that will be equipped to perform such activities and help you implement the framework described here. 

Braco Pobric is an Internationally Recognized Positive Psychology Expert, Executive Coach, and Corporate Trainer. He is the bestselling author of Habits and Happiness: How to Become Happier and Improve Your Wellbeing by Changing Your Habits. Braco is a founding member and Chief Happiness Officer of the Life Success Academy, Certified Positive Psychology Master Coach and Trainer, and former globally Certified Trainer and Business Coach for Dale Carnegie Training. He trained over 60,000 Students in 172 countries.