Idea 14 - Learn something new this week - it might make you happier (especially if you are under 30)

In 2017, I had a company with thirty content employees (we know that because we asked them each week). However, on the 14th October, half of them told me they wanted to leave.

Reflecting back on that moment seven years later, I think it was probably one of the low points in my career. Finding out that everything I’d worked for was failing was pretty hard to take. However, the whole experience taught me a lesson that shaped how I thought about happiness at work from that moment on. 

The secret to happiness - pay, perks and pizza

In those days, I thought the secret to make my team happy was to just focus on the three Ps - pay, perks and pizzas. The brighter the sofas, the more free food and yoga classes, the better. 

I genuinely believed that the more benefits we could give our team, the happier they would feel. 

It turns out that people need a little more.

Even pizza-yoga is not the best way to make your team happier.

The staff survey that changed everything

On October 14th, 2017, we sent out an anonymous survey to everyone in the company. We wanted to find out how they were feeling and what they thought we could do better. The first question was, “On a scale of 1-10, how happy are you at work?”

Everyone answered with a seven or above.

“Boom,” I thought, “I’d nailed this happiness at work thing.”

The final question was, “Do you see yourself here in one year?” Over 50% said no. 

Oh @·&%!

The fateful survey we sent out in 2017

It turned out our team loved their work; they thought it was interesting, challenging, and fun and, really importantly, they got to work with great people. However, they saw no career with us. They couldn’t see a clear path to promotion, and they had no clarity on how to earn more. Yes, they had a lot of fun and had made amazing friends, but they needed more.

How to make Gen Z happy at work

Our team, at the time, were all in their mid to late twenties. They were at the beginning of their work life and looking to get ahead as fast as possible. None had children; in fact none of our team owned their own house or were married. 

Even though they had time to socialise, play online games, and somehow watch a whole series of Game of Thrones in a single weekend, most were also really driven to get ahead in their careers. We had focused on what we thought young people wanted; parties, free food and great mates, but we had totally neglected their needs for learning and accomplishment.

Recent research shows that the main drivers of happiness at work for Gen Z are opportunities for growth and purpose. They are more interested in learning and advancing their career and making a change in the world than compensation and flexibility and all the other factors many think the youngest generation of the workforce needs. The study showed that 71% of Gen Z workers would even cut their pay to do meaningful work.

Companies that are not offering their younger workers plenty of learning opportunities and rapid promotion possibilities if they work hard are losing out.

Tip of the week

If you’re a team leader, ask your younger team members what they want to learn and give them time to do it.

If you’re under thirty and feeling a little unfulfilled, it may be because you are not learning. Mention it to your manager and, if they don’t see the importance, maybe it’s time to find somewhere that will fulfil your needs.

Born before 1990? Research shows you have other more pressing needs; autonomy and flexibility will mostly top your list of priorities, however, don’t ever stop learning, it’s the best way to keep your brain as sharp as it used to be.

According to the US Surgeon General, feeling that you have opportunities for growth at work is one of the five essentials you need to satisfy to be happy at work. It fulfils your human needs for learning and accomplishment.