Boost Productivity by Creating the Right Business Environment
Today’s business leaders are among the most influential members of society. Bookstores are full of publications containing very good advice about how to be an effective manager or a successful leader. While business in general is good for our economy, it should also improve life and society. A happy employee does equal to a productive employee. Have you asked if your staff is happy? According to Monster.com’s 2004 Work/Life balance survey, 86% of Americans are not satisfied with their jobs. As business owners, we not only have the ability but also an obligation to stimulate and challenge employees. We need to create the right business environment so people can contribute toward a fulfilling life.
People, by nature, want to add more meaning in their lives. We cannot survive without hope. Generally, people like to be challenged and be recognized for the work they have accomplished. They want to achieve that next level of self actualization. We can borrow examples from the non-profit sector. Many people are willing to donate their time, energy and money so they can feel happy and have a sense of accomplishment. Even our country’s founding fathers suggested that happiness gives meaning to life as written in the U.S. Constitution that we have the right to the “pursuit of happiness.”
There are many ways to achieve happiness. It is different for everyone. $1,000 would bring happiness to a poor person. The same $1,000 to a rich person would bring little or no happiness. A music enthusiast would be happy with an iPod compared to a hearing impaired having an iPod. According to the book “Good Business” by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, there are 3 conditions that can lead to a happier person: the available job, the values attached to the job and the attitude one has toward the job itself. I hope that sharing that finding would not only enrich our lives but also increase productivity.
For the next few months, I will be doing interviews with everyday people on what makes them happy in the workplace. I hope to learn and share the finding so we can offer examples on what works and what does not.
Thank you!
This year, much of ABA’s success would not have been possible without the leadership of Gordon Eng, Arnold Ng and Grace Whitcomb. Please help me thank them when you see them at our functions. In addition, we would like to recognize the entire ABA Board of Directors for their dedication and time in assisting our association during my absence earlier this year. We also thank Soa Kang, Arnold Ng and Lily Chia Tsau for serving on the ABA Board. We wish them the best in their endeavors as they step down from our board. Thank you for serving our association. Furthermore, the guidance, direction, time and financial support of our Advisory Council gives ABA the opportunity to keep the Asian business community informed on the changing landscape in the business world. Thank you for your generosity.
|
