Did you know tomorrow is the International Day of Happiness ?

When I wrote this poem a few weeks back, who would have thought we’d be where we are right now?

The International Day of Happiness is celebrated worldwide every year on 20 March. Since 2013, the United Nations has celebrated this day as a way to recognise the importance of happiness in the lives of people around the world. We are however in unchartered territory and there is a lot of uncertainly – many of us may be working from home for a while and it looks like the economic consequences associated with the current health crisis will impact employment across the board. There’s no escaping it - we have tough times ahead.

When we come out the other end of this crisis, life will get happier. When it does, I hope you can implement some of these strategies that we use for keeping our people2people teams alive with energy and smiles, whether in the office or working remotely.

Wherever you are working, we’d love to hear what you are doing to keep your workplace a happy – even if you are in a virtual office, rather than a physical one. Whatever is happening right now, keep your teammates close, even if you can only communicate via telephones and computers.

This is my tribute to staying happy at work.

It’s a well-known fact that working in recruitment has its highs and it lows.
Conducting interviews, making placements and building connections.
Consulting with clients, reading CVs, getting pulled in every direction.
Some days you kick goals and other days you crash,
So, here are four strategies to energise the office in a flash!

Listen to music and bring it, have one of the team members sing it.
It could be loud and just one song or continuous, soft and low to hum along.
There is plenty of research to prove,
That music helps creativity, enhances performance and improves mood.
So, put on your Mozart or Eye of the Tiger,
And let a piece of music be your next team driver.

Change the scenery , see some greenery, and go out for a walk.
Move to another desk, another room or a café to talk.
A change of environment can refresh your mind, refocus your thoughts,
and put your brain in a different space.
It’s surprising how changing your environment can change the pace.
With new things to look at and some different activity,
You’ll improve your mood and help your creativity.

Share a great joke , a funny story or meme.
Making someone laugh releases feel-good chemicals called dopamine.
University studies have shown a good laugh relieves tension and stress.
A laugh leaves you relaxed, cheers you up,
And prepares you for business success.

And finally, make a game of it , turn task to competition.
Fuel competitive spirit with a head to head challenge or a mission.
A collective experience will increase skills and motivation,
And a shared project or task can be a good education.
Trust me when I say, it can help elevate the team.
The energy will be shifted to the extreme.

So now I have given you our four ideas to inspire.
Strategies we use to keep our office energy happy and on fire.
If reading this blog has given you a lift,
Stay happy, share it and consider it my gift.