Bede Crasnich, Elise Harden, Kelly Jubb and Millie Robinson

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• Bede Crasnich, Elise Harden, Kelly Jubb and
  Millie Robinson
• Happiness consultancy report
• MACS325, Happiness investigating its causes and
  conditions
• Autumn session, 2011
• Media and Cultural Studies, University of
  Wollongong
• Subject coordinators Chris Barker and Brian
  Martin
• The happiness consultancy assignment had two
  parts. For details of the assignment see
  http//www.bmartin.cc/classes/MACS325_11outline.pd
  f
• 1. A report for an organisation, prepared by a
  team of students.
• Bede Crasnich, Elise Harden, Kelly Jubb and
  Millie Robinson, working as a team, prepared a
  report for Access Community Group, in the form of
  a handout and a slide show. The handout is in a
  separate file. The slide show begins on the next
  slide.
• 2. Reflections on doing the consultancy, written
  separately by each member of the team as an
  individual task.
• Kelly Jubbs reflections are in a separate file.
• This document is located at http//www.bmartin.cc/
  classes/MACS325tops/.

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Access Community Group

• Engagement Happiness

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Engagement Happiness

• So what is Engagement?
• Engagement can be defined as a positive,
  fulfilling, work-related state of mind that is
  characterized by vigour, dedication, and
  absorption. Vigour is characterized by high
  levels of energy and mental resilience while
  working. Dedication refers to being strongly
  involved in ones work and experiencing a sense
  of significance, enthusiasm, and challenge.
  Absorption is characterized by being fully
  concentrated and happily engrossed in ones work,
  whereby time passes quickly and one has
  difficulties with detaching oneself from work.
  
• Bakker and Demerouti (2008, 209210)

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Benefits of Engagement include...

• Having high levels of concentration and focus
• Feeling invigorated afterwards
• Losing track of time
• Using your strengths
• Living your values
• Being authentic
• It helps you manage stressful areas of your life
  by creating positive emotions that can undo any
  negative emotions such as anxiety.
• Engagement is also referred to as flow.

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How does Happiness relate to Engagement?

• Scientists have been able to show that happiness
  can be influenced and managed. People reported
  more positive emotion more often when they
  experience a favourable work environment. At all
  levels, there is evidence that happiness has
  important consequences for both individuals and
  organizations.
• Past research has tended to underestimate the
  importance of happiness and engagement at work. A
  comprehensive measure of individual level
  happiness does include work engagement, job
  satisfaction, and organizational commitment.
  Happiness increases staff engagement, this is
  highly beneficial as engaged workers collaborate
  more effectively with colleagues and clients and
  are more productive.

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Happiness and Engagement
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How Happy is the team at ACG?

• We observed from the meetings with team members
  from Access high levels of staff happiness due to
  these main factors
• Passionate and positive colleagues
• Job satisfaction through meaning and purpose
• Opportunity to develop and learn new skills
• (the flexibility of the
  workplace)

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Some of the feedback we received...

• I enjoy the people i work with and the programs
  ACG runs..i am provided with many opportunities
  here...
• I find my position challenging stimulating
  which makes me happy...
• I work with a passionate team in a dynamic
  community sector
• Work flexibility and an organisation that
  supports persons into community engagement

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Engagement in the workplace

• For engagement to be present in the business
  world, there needs to be a balance between skill
  level and challenge.
• The challenge must meet your skill level and vice
  versa. The higher the challenge the more support
  is needed from colleagues, leaders and managers.

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So how is Access Engaged?

• Access engages on three different levels
• Clients
• Colleagues
• and Community

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Clients, Colleagues Community

• We observed that Access engagement with clients
  is extremely effective positive outcomes are
  consistently achieved. These include improved
  life skills, housing situations, family support
  and relationships and improved social skills.
• Engagement amongst colleagues was reported to be
  high, with high satisfaction levels regarding
  inter-staff rapport and communication. However we
  observed and anonymous feedback revealed that
  some members of the workplace were not
  participating to their full potential. Increased
  self-awareness of some team members would
  contribute to encouraging the general positive
  ethos of Access.
• We observed that the Community is becoming more
  aware of Access, through programs such as Spring
  into Corrimal, website and local Business
  Chamber. However there is a sense that they
  could be better educated on what exactly it is
  Access does, and how they can become more
  involved.

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Recommendation One...

• Observation
• We observed that not enough recognition is given
  to Access for positive outcomes. This is due to
  measurements being largely based on job status
  rather than holistic reporting.
• Recommendation
• That positive feedback of all outcomes achieved
  (not merely employment) is made available to the
  general public through website, speak outs
  (Spring into Corrimal), local radio interviews
  and publications (newspapers articles/business
  profile/case study report).
• Explanation
• Access regularly and routinely achieves positive
  outcomes for its clients, however the public may
  not always be aware or informed of these
  outcomes. Increased recognition of Access
  positive contributions to the community will
  increase engagement happiness, as well as
  advertise and aims to attract support from
  potential benefactors.

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Recommendation Two...

• Observation
• We observed that although marketing strategies
  are in place within Access, it is currently at a
  stand still due to other commitments and
  priorities. No long-term marketing strategy is
  apparent.
• Recommendation
• Rebrand and repackage Access in new and creative
  ways
• Update the website to be more engaging,
  interactive and reinforcing the brand and ethos
  surrounding Access
• Partnerships with other non-profits (Rotary) for
  events
• Marketing internship partnership with UOW and/or
  a volunteer team to help rebrand
• Explanation
• Rebranding and repackaging Access in new and
  creative ways makes it more sellable to local
  business community, promotes volunteerism and
  improves engagement through increased interest.

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Recommendation Three...

• Observation
• We observed that Access workspace could be
  greatly improved to encourage an engaging and
  happy workplace. E.g. Poor heating facilities,
  segmented workspace non-conducive to flow.
• Recommendation
• To conduct and organise semi- regular clean up
  hours to ensure removal of clutter and a more
  productive and versatile workspace. o  
  Remove/rearrange cubicles that obstruct
  space/create barriers
• o   Upgrade air conditioner to a more efficient
  system
• o  Look into purchasing currently rented
  building
• Explanation
• Creating a more versatile and comfortable space
  will improve employees mentality and productivity
  and engagement with both space and colleagues.

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Engagement skills...

• Engagement can be implemented in a variety of
  ways, some of these include
• Effective communication
• Being aware of different styles of communication,
  including non-verbal
• Being willing to consciously improve written and
  verbal skills
• Communicate with clarity and confidence
• Incorporate and practise active listening
• Focussing upon and valuing strengths
• Living your values considerately
• Practical implementation for engagement
• Monthly anonymous feedback on workplace relations
  and conditions

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References

• Ben-Shahar, T (2007) Happiness in Education,
  Happier Learn the Secrets to Daily joy
  Lasting Fulfilment, McGraw-Hill, New York, pp.
  83-96.
• Gallup Management Journal Survey (2006) Gallup
  Study Feeling Good Matters in the Workplace.
  Accessed 18.05.11 http//gmj.gallup.com/content/20
  770/Gallup-Study-Feeling-good-matters-in-the.aspx
  
• Golding, N (2007) Measuring Staff Happiness,
  accessed 18.05.11 http//www.employeebenefits.co.u
  k
• Judge, E (2007) Employee Engagement and
  Happiness, accessed 18.05.11 http//positivepsycho
  logynews.com/news/emma-judge/2007011640
• Lyubomirsky, S (2007) The how of Happiness A new
  approach to getting the life you want, Penguin
  Books, New York.
• Patten, M. (2007) Do you want to increase
  Engagement and Happiness? Accessed 18.05.11
  http//ezinearticles.com/516536
• Rakash Pati, S Kumar, P (2010) Employee
  Engagement Role of Self-efficacy, organizational
  Support Supervisor Support, The Indian Journal
  of Industrial Relations, Vol. 46, No. 1, pp 126-
  137.
• Saks, A. (2006) Antecedents and Consequences of
  Employee Engagement, Journal of managerial
  Psychology, Vol. 21, pp 600-619.
• Sutton, R (2009) Happiness for the Pragmatic
  Optimist and Everyone Else, OD Practitioner, Vol.
  41, No. 4, pp51- 56.
• Vella-Brodrick, D, Park, N, Peterson, C. (2008)
  Three ways to be Happy Pleasure, Engagement and
  Meaning Findings from Australian and US
  Samples, Social Indicators Research, Vol. 90 ,
  pp165-179.