How to find happiness in the workplace in a money-based system

Based on SCARF: a brain-based model for collaborating with

and influencing others by David Rock

With thanks to Andre Golard, Ph.D.

Five Needs in the workplace

Status: who are you in relation to others?

Certainty: can you depend on the future?

Autonomy: do you have a sense of control?

Relatedness: do you feel safe?

Fairness: are decisions & compensation fair?

Five Goals for the Five Needs

Status – Minimize Threats.Certainty – Involvement in Decisions. Autonomy – No Micromanagement. Relatedness – Foster Trust.Fairness – Transparency & Openness.

Status: relative importance, pecking order & seniority

Diminished ability to think rationally.Decreased problem solving of non-linear problems.Decreased insight, imagination & innovation.

Threats to status mean…

Redefine increases in status to mean doing better than oneself in the past.

How to increase status in a wellbeing and happiness based model:

Provide opportunities for learning & self-improvement opportunities.

And acknowledge the improvement privately & publicly.

Wellbeing-based ways to increase status:

Include people in activities.

Ask to be included in activities.

Wellbeing-based ways to increase status:

Allow people to give themselves feedback for their own performance review or when tasks are not performed well.

Wellbeing-based ways to increase status:

Really listen

Wellbeing-based ways to increase status:

Certainty: you can predict the near future, dependability

Diminished ability to focus. Diminished performance.Fatigue or exhaustion.

Threats to certainty mean…

Involve people in the planning process, changing perception who determines what is uncertain & certain.

How to increase certainty in a wellbeing and happiness based model:

Establish clear plans, strategies and maps of the organizational structure, especially during transition times.

Wellbeing-based ways to increase certainty:

Break complex projects into small steps.

Set clear goals.

Established clear expectations for success and failure.

Wellbeing-based ways to increase certainty:

High stress levels.Poor health, from colds to heart diseases or other sever illness.

Threats to autonomy mean…

Autonomy: having choices

Establish sound policy to enable people to make their own decisions in specific situations.

How to increase autonomy in a wellbeing and happiness based model:

Give options rather than edicts.

Allow people to determine their own working hours, desks, and workflow.

Never micromanage!

Wellbeing-based ways to increase autonomy:

Be clear about what needs to be done, but whenever possible be flexible about how.

Relatedness: Are you “in” or are you “out”?

Decreases in cognitive abilities.Decreased ability to empathize.Decreased communication.

Threats to relatedness mean…

Do you feel like you belong?

Foster trusting relationships in the workplace.

How to increase relatedness in a wellbeing and happiness based model:

Spend time getting to know each other.

Meet in-person or via video if in-person is not possible.

When teams form, take time to share stories, photos & social media connections.

Form buddy systems, mentor programs & small action learning groups.

Wellbeing-based ways to increase relatedness:

Fairness: compensation & treatment is fair

Feelings of disgust &Lack of empathy for those who are felt to be causing unfairness.

Threats to fairness mean…

Transparency.Open Communication. Involvement in organizational issues.

How to increase fairness in a wellbeing and happiness based model:

Allow teams to identify their own rules.

Reduce senior executive salaries during difficult times.

Establish clear expectations in all situations.

Wellbeing-based ways to increase fairness:

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