Over the past few weeks, I’ve been speaking with a lot of our clients about their challenges for 2024. It took some reflection, but I soon realised that there was a common theme lurking just below the surface of almost every conversation I had.
In previous years, these conversations revolved around specific, topical themes, namely:
1. People, i.e. finding the right ones, securing them, successfully integrating them into the organisation and of course, retaining them.
2. Uncertain economic conditions, knowing when to expand & when to hold position.
3. Working from home vs. hybrid vs. in the office.
But this year, the resounding theme has been about team happiness.
For years, we’ve been peering ahead trying to see over the horizon, and now that we’re (somewhat) through the COVID haze, we’ve realised it’s not just what lies ahead of us that’s important, but how we live today.
Personally, I resonate with this. We have grand ambitions for Be Challenged, but if they constantly inhibit making the most out of the present day, we know we have to have patience and delay focusing on what’s next until we have the will and capacity to push again.
We can’t always expect 110% of ourselves, or those in our team. Productivity should never be looked at as a short-term metric, otherwise, you’ll set unsustainable expectations. We can push hard for a period, but without balance, we simply burn out and worse, become disengaged.
Why is team happiness such a big deal right now? For starters, it’s a shared ambition between team members and business leaders & owners.
In 2023 Australians exceeded initial predictions for international holidays, back to and exceeding pre-COVID 2019 levels. Considering the economic uncertainty we face, this is just one indicator we’re living for now, not just what may come tomorrow.
Business leaders and owners are recognising this. Nine and eight day fortnights aren’t just recruitment fads, they are a recognition that people’s values are shifting.
The good news for all involved is that a happy team isn’t just a bunch of talents with smiles on their faces. These are the people who bring their A-game to work every day. They’re creative, they’re engaged, and they stick around! (read about why is this important in this article).
This isn’t just me talking – Research from the University of Warwick backs it up.
They have found a direct link between employee well-being and productivity, underlining that happy employees are up to 12% more productive than their less satisfied counterparts!
We work with a lot of our clients at the beginning of each year to help bring their people together to start the year off on a fresh foot. This is where balancing planning for the future and being engaged in the present is a crucial mix to get right.
Having a vision for your organisation is crucial for countless reasons. And yes, it also plays a role in how engaged people are, however, if your constant focus is on your ambitions for tomorrow your people will become disengaged as they are likely not as invested as you are in the outcome.
This is especially important for conferences and offsites. When you invest in bringing your people together, it needs to be for more than just talk. Rather, getting everyone involved, hands-on, and totally immersed. As we touched on in our article about the blurring line between strategy and culture, your conference should be 70% about present-day engagement, and the remainder about your strategy, vision and future focus.
Team happiness isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a must-have. It’s about looking at the big picture, where each person’s well-being adds up to a strong, vibrant organisation. At Be Challenged, we are here to help you make that happen. We are all about creating experiences that don’t just tick boxes, but truly engage and inspire.
If you are curious about how Be Challenged team can transform your workplace into a buzzing hub of happiness and productivity, contact us here.
Thanks for reading and here’s to a happy 2024.
Oliver Sheer
Managing Director, Be Challenged