At the 5th European Conference on Positive Psychology, held last week in Copenhagen, Denmark, psychologist Wilmar Schaufeli called for the development of a branch of positive psychology focused on workplace mental health.
Professor Schaufeli, of Utrecht University in the Netherlands, says that workplace psychology is still focused on problems rather than creating a positive environment for employees’ mental health. A positive psychology approach makes sense not just because it’s the best model for mental health, Schaufeli said, but also because it makes good business sense. Businesses that want their employees to go beyond the call of duty need employees who are excited and engaged in their work, not just employees who aren’t having mental health problems.
Schaufeli said that the goal of positive occupational health psychology should be to create engaged employees. He defined employee engagement as a “positive motivational state characterized by vigor, dedication, and absorption.”
Vigor includes the resilience and high level of energy that is one of the hallmarks of positive psychology. Dedication means the kind of identification with the employer that leads to enthusiasm, pride, and satisfaction. Finally, absorption is that pleasant state we all wish for at work–being so immersed in your task that time passes quickly, and you almost don’t want leave your work behind.
Workers with these qualities, Schaufeli said, are more motivated, take fewer sick days, are less likely to leave their jobs or be fired, make customers happy, and increase sales.
Schaufeli outlined some strategies employers could take to begin to develop a positive workplace culture. These included strategies already in use among many employers (regular monitoring of levels of engaging, goal-setting and coaching, and creating a positive culture through celebration of achievement).
Organizationally, Schaufeli said, businesses may need to redesign jobs to allow for greater creativity, to foster leadership styles that offer greater opportunities for engagement among subordinates, training that will empower employees to engage in the process of making their work meaningful, and constant monitoring to ensure that jobs remain challenging.
Amelie Chance is a contributing reporter for Mental Health News.
