How do you incorporate positive psychology in the workplace?

Human capital is the most important element of any organization. Irrespective of all the technological advancement or the ever-increasing impact of automation, human behavior and the mental health of any organization's employees determine how well it functions. The human mind and behavior are closely connected, and psychology includes the study of both.

Positive psychology is another extension of psychology, which focuses primarily on identifying positive behavior patterns and strengthening them for personal and professional benefits. Positive psychology has exceptionally conducive benefits. In this article, we will understand how to harness it at work.

What are psychology and positive psychology?

Psychology is a science that studies the human mind and behavior. It finds answers to why one acts in a particular manner at a given time. It helps us understand how our minds and bodies work together.

Positive psychology establishes and nurtures an environment of happiness, positivity, motivation, and mutual trust. It manifests itself through a productive work culture that translates into making an organization successful.

Positive psychology is essential in the workplace and goes a long way in bringing out the best from individuals. People with positive emotions are highly motivated, have better work relationships, and are well-equipped to handle stress and uncertainty.

Martin Seligman, known to be the founding father of positive psychology, describes it as the study of what constitutes a pleasant and meaningful life.

Are 'positive psychology' and 'positive thinking' the same?

Though it sounds paradoxical, people often confuse positive psychology with positive thinking. The common presumption is that they are the same thing, with different terminologies. Well, not exactly.

Positive thinking is about attaining a positive frame of mind by being calm and optimistic even amidst adverse circumstances.

Positive psychology is a scientific study and a relatively new intervention in the field of psychology. It deals with positive emotions like happiness, love, inspiration, satisfaction, and motivation. All these contribute towards a positive transformation of an individual. This helps in transforming life holistically.

Why is positive psychology important?

Positive psychology can have many benefits as it:

• Enhances the happiness quotient which leads to reduced stress levels
• Creates healthy relationships with colleagues and acquaintances
• Increases productivity at work
• Helps cultivate a broader perspective to empathize with people
• Results in a positive workplace
• Enriches the energy levels of the employees
• Aids in improving the confidence levels and mental strength
• Boosts the motivation to achieve goals
• Improves work-life balance
• Ensures a better quality of life

How can you incorporate this into your organization's culture?

Here are some essential factors to harness positive psychology at work:

Foster a culture of gratitude

Many contemporary organizations ensure they have a culture of appreciating their team members. Gratitude is about experiencing positive emotions (even at our workplace), which can come either by receiving words of thanks/appreciation or by sharing them yourself about someone. Since we spend a good part of our time at the workplace, we must value all the positive things around us. Gratitude has a positive impact on our health and energy levels as it fosters long-lasting relationships. At Nagarro, we regularly organize various employee-focused activities in the office and now (post-COVID), virtually too. Even the pandemic could not put a full stop to our positive and cool work culture. We keep breaking new ground with our fun activities - from virtual stand-up comedy nights to musical evenings to online programs for staying fit physically and mentally.

Celebrate achievements

Celebrating successes and achievements together go a long way towards increasing team bonding. Appreciating small accomplishments and backing each other up enhances motivation levels. When people at the workplace know each other beyond official assignments, it instils better understanding. Appreciating and celebrating the team's success also spurs individuals to feel even more inspired and motivated. Nagarro's CARING values and work culture do precisely all this and more. We also have continuous feedback programs and anyone can reach out to any colleague for feedback. Such programs let people send praises, feedback, and suggestions for improvement to one another anonymously to encourage candid feedback.

Encourage innovation and creativity

Any problem can have multiple solutions, with some being unconventional. Such solutions can go on to become game-changers for the organization. When employees are encouraged to explore ideas with creativity and experimentation, it can lead to extraordinary results. This requires close collaboration within the team, which means teamwork and, often, a collective sense of achievement. Nagarro's non-hierarchical culture allows everyone the freedom to express their opinions without worrying about their position or role. Additionally, working in a stress-free environment promotes innovation and creativity.

How is Nagarro leading the positive vibe?

You would experience an air of positivity right from the time you step into the office. The optimism and enthusiasm of Nagarrians depict the conducive working atmosphere that the management has established from the beginning. Their regimented efforts are reflected in a wide array of employee-focused initiatives that are beneficial at an individual level and go a long way in making an organization a great place to work.

Many mental health professionals and behavioral specialists are roped in to conduct sessions at the organizational level. Nagarrians can avail themselves of this service at their convenience. The interactions and conversations are kept confidential, and utmost care is taken to maintain privacy. These sessions empower employees to practice well-being and amplify the level of optimism. These sessions help employees to identify their core strengths and harness the best out of every situation.

Conclusion

We often look at keeping ourselves fit physically and ignore our mental health. However, we fail to understand that mental and physical health are two sides of the same coin. Post-COVID, mental health has become even more important due to the increased impact of social distancing, quarantines, working from home, etc. Organizations are now focusing much more on mental health to ensure a positive cultural shift at the workplace. The compassion and mindfulness that come from being optimistic results in high-performing teams. These teams build a rock-solid foundation of an organization's culture and incorporate these values into their own lives. If people are happy, satisfied, and in a positive frame of mind, they will naturally be more productive, resilient, innovative, and creative at work.