It started with bean bags. Then there was free fruit, table tennis and motivational wall quotes. Over the past two decades, a greater focus on workplace wellbeing has seen organisations add more and more employee perks in an attempt to create a happier workplace. So why are we still miserable at work?

“Sometimes there’s too much emphasis on this extra layer when companies really need to try and fix the basics first,” says Johannes Boegershausen, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Marketing Management. In other words, Free Beer Friday might distract employees for an hour or two, but it won’t get rid of the Monday-morning dread which creeps in when deeper workplace issues need addressing.

Happy talk

Does being happy at work really matter? After all, many of our parents’ generation saw their jobs as simply a means to pay bills. But now, as the boundaries between work and home blur, Gen Z aren’t willing to put up with jobs that make them miserable. “The prioritisation of certain values, of being treated fairly and feeling happy at work, is something that has really risen up – compared to even 10 years ago,” says Boegershausen.

For employers, too, keeping people happy isn’t just about attracting and keeping talent. A more content workforce has huge knock-on benefits. “People are much more productive when operating in a place where they feel safe, happy and able to use their strengths,” says executive coach Maja Mikielska-Hop (MBA, 2014). “They are much more likely to go an extra mile. Happiness is the driver of engagement and there’s a correlation with creativity.”

But to create a happy workplace, you first need to define what happiness means – and what basics need fixing. For some, it’s about relationships with colleagues. For others, flexibility is key. Some crave recognition and rewards. There’s no one-size-fits all formula. One word that repeatedly crops up is purpose. “ would say people should look for more than happiness at work,” says Mikielska-Hop. “You should look for fulfilment, for purpose, to connect the work that you do to the life that you want to have.”

Not everyone is lucky enough to follow their true passion, but our jobs can – and should – feel meaningful. “We can find meaning even in mundane things,” says Boegershausen. That could be through mentoring a junior staff member, collaborating with colleagues, feeling like your voice is heard or knowing that you’re helping someone else have a better day. “Sometimes from these series of smaller wins, something powerful emerges.”

People power

Ultimately, employees don’t just want to count down the hours, but to feel like their time at work is well spent. So how can leaders help? According to the work of Bex Hewett, Associate Professor in the Department of Organisation and Personnel Management, their approach to this is often contradictory. “A lot of leaders will say they want people who are motivated, engaged and energised at work, but then they treat them as though they’re not,” says Hewett. This is based on underlying assumptions – influenced by what’s known as agency theory – which start from a place of mistrust, assuming that employees don’t want to put effort in, need constant supervision, and require incentives to motivate them. “Agency theory assumes that leaders and employees have completely different goals, when research shows that’s often not the case. People want to do a good job because it makes them feel good.”

By contrast, self-determination theory assumes workers are intrinsically motivated as long as three basic psychological needs are met: autonomy, competence and a sense of connection to others. “Autonomy is at the centre of everything,” says Hewett. “Give people as much decision-making responsibility as you possibly can while mitigating risk.”

Autonomy isn’t about letting people do whatever they like, she stresses. “It’s about saying these are the boundaries, here’s what we’re trying to achieve. Now you decide how best to achieve that.” She cites an example of a call-centre worker who, on hearing a customer mention their birthday, decided to send them a cake – without needing to check with their manager first. And for autonomy to be effective, clarity is vital, says Mikielska-Hop. “We all need to know ‘What’s my scope? What is my mandate? From where to where am I allowed to operate autonomously?’”

Safe space

Of course, allowing employees more autonomy usually requires that managers relinquish some. That can feel wrong if senior leaders aren’t setting an example, says Hewett. “If they are willing to trust the people below them, then that trickles down throughout the organisation. If my boss doesn’t trust me, I don’t trust my people either.”

It’s worth it: Boegershausen says that in the era of hybrid and remote work, trust is more important than ever. He suggests leaders start by assuming the best of their employees. “It’s almost like you give somebody a trust credit in the beginning and you only go for the correction if they fail, rather than beginning from a state of distrust.”

Psychological safety is also key: few of us can feel happy if we don’t feel safe. “Psychological safety is the notion that it’s okay to be yourself, it’s okay to make mistakes, it’s okay to communicate clearly,” says Boegershausen. People should feel they can speak up with ideas or concerns without fear of reprimand – and again the onus is on leaders to create that safe environment. “It’s about modelling that behaviour,” he points out. “Let’s say that a project failed. You might ask in front of the entire team: ‘What did you learn?’ rather than ‘What went wrong?’ These small changes in framing change the lived experience at work.”

Mikielska-Hop agrees that this feeling of safety is created with small moments, behaviours and actions – and the effect can be profound. “Through building trust that was absent, I see how it relieves people and removes an immense burden from their shoulders,” she says. “And if you feel free to have a conversation with your manager, things are so much easier. You don’t waste time second guessing. You can concentrate on the actual work. You also feel empowered, and that your voice matters.”

Purpose-driven

It may sound obvious, but happiness springs from knowing what you’re working towards, and why. Most of us benefit from discussing that more than once a year, Hewett points out – so why do so many organisations limit feedback to backwards-looking annual performance reviews? “A much more effective way to support people to perform at their best is to create an environment where feedback is given when it’s needed, not just from a manager but also peers. When we give each other feedback continuously, individuals take more responsibility for their own performance and development. People need to know if what they’re doing is making a positive impact. That doesn’t just mean telling people what they’re doing right or wrong, but having a dialogue.”

There’s a memorable line of dialogue from the film Heathers which goes: “If you were happy every day of your life, you wouldn’t be a human being. You’d be a game-show host.” None of us can be happy all the time, and there will be many occasions where, even when the conditions are right, a colleague might not feel motivated. But trying to coerce them into motivation is not the solution.

“Start with the assumption that people want to do a good job, discuss why they don’t feel energised by what they’re doing, and together see what can be done,” says Hewett. “Then you’ll be well on your way to creating an environment where people can be open, and where you’re much more likely to get positive conversations rather than negative actions.” In other words, a workplace that’s also a happy place – without a yoga mat in sight.