Workplace Happiness

Does Agility keep us happy?

Vivek GanesanGainsight

Is the Work - Life

Balance narrative fair?

What do people mean when they say Work-Life

Balance?

What do people mean when they say Work-Life

Balance?

WORK LIFE

There is NO life in work

Is there a better way to look at it?

Is there a better way to look at it? WORK

LIFE

Here, people experience life while they work

Activity

What is your definition of Happiness?

If everyone’s definition of happiness differs…How can we effectively measure / improve it ?

If you want to measure happiness,just ask people

What if you want to improve happiness levels?

Correlation is the key!

Correlation: What Science Tells Us?

Happiness as personal satisfaction

Happiness as positive engagement

DRIVE

Happiness as Personal Satisfaction

What is common among these logos?

What is common among these logos?

● Voluntary contribution without remuneration (Not salaried employees)

● Why do people contribute their expertise and time without any benefit?

● If they don’t derive happiness from this activity, why would they do it?

What motivates people?

Extrinsic Motivation - Rewards & Punishments

What motivates people?

Extrinsic Motivation - Rewards & Punishments

Intrinsic Motivation - Motivation from within

What motivates people?

Extrinsic Motivation - Rewards & Punishments

Intrinsic Motivation - Motivation from within

Autonomy

Mastery

Purpose

What motivates people?

Extrinsic Motivation - Rewards & Punishments

Intrinsic Motivation - Motivation from within

Autonomy

Mastery

Purpose

PERSONAL SATISFACTION

FLOW

Happiness as Positive Engagement

What is common among these three?

What is common among these three?

● We don’t consciously realize passage of time

● We have a good time engaging in these activities - We feel good while we do them.

● We experience a state of FLOW

Will we be happy at work if our work is

FLOW inducing?

What are the conditions necessary to induce a state of FLOW?

Interesting & Clear Goals Frequent Feedback Manageable Challenges

What are the conditions necessary to induce a state of FLOW?

Interesting & Clear Goals Frequent Feedback Manageable Challenges

Finished Task with Visible Progress Increase in Skill

LevelSatisfaction

Group Activity - Does Agility Make us Happy?

Factor Scrum Kanban <Insert your approach here>

Happiness as Personal SatisfactionAutonomy

Mastery

Purpose

Happiness as Positive EngagementConditions for Flow

Does Agility Make us Happy?

It depends...

What did we learn?● Happiness does not mean the

same thing to everyone● Correlation helps us in finding how

to ‘improve’ happiness● Drive - Happiness as Personal

Satisfaction○ Extrinsic Motivation - Carrots & Sticks○ Intrinsic Motivation - Autonomy,

Mastery & Purpose● Flow - Happiness as +ve

Engagement ○ Flow as a state of happiness○ Pre-conditions of Flow

● Does Agility make us happy?○ It depends on the specifics

Questions?