Happiness at work

Employees make difference to companies and they are gaining recognition for their contribution. More and more employees are realizing that there is a real correlation between happy staff and a strong bottom line. But what makes us happy at work?

According to the HR Consultants Chiumento’s ‘Happiness at work’ index, employees have interests that rank higher than a big pay cheque, which comes in at a lowly tenth place. Instead, it’s people first – feeling part of a friendly, supportive atmosphere, where you have a say in what happens, and where people take care of each other. At Google, for example, they take pride in the fact that employees enjoy a ‘fun workplace’.

Second in line on the ‘Happiness at work’ index comes enjoyable work, where employees derive satisfaction from their achievements. It also helps if you can relate to the values of the company where you work. According to a recent newspaper survey, Innocent, a young fast-growing fruit drinks company, attracts employees who see a future for themselves in a company with clear values. Innocent ‘innocently’ claims they want to ‘leave things a little better than we find them’. At Google, where they receive 100,000 job applications a month, their philosophy is to make money ‘without doing evil’. Employees are clearly keen to make the most of their opportunities, especially if they feel they are making a worldwide contribution to their company while helping to improve the world they live in.

Task II. Work in pairs. Think of advice you would give to a novice interviewee beside the listed below. Share your ideas with your groupmates.

· Make sure you know in advance exactly where the interview is to take place.

· Take a pen.

· Take your school and colledge certificates with you, and any testimonials you may have, and examples of your work.

· Show your best side – don’t stress your shortcomings, like how you hate getting up early in the morning.

· Give a clear answer to each question – avoid answering Yes and No.

· If you don’t know the answer to a question, don’t try to bluff your way out of it.

· Don’t be tempted to have a drink beforehand to give yourself courage.

Task III. Work in small groups. How would you feel inthe following situations during an interview for a job you really wanted to get? What exactly would you say or do in each situation?

1. You are still waiting for the interview to begin half an hour after your appointment.

2. Unexpectedly, you find that you’re going to be interviewed in a group with several other candidates.

3. You have to sit in an uncomfortable, low chair.

4. The interviewer hasn’t prepared for an interview: he/she doesn’t seem to have read your CV and application letter.

5. You take an instant dislike to the interviewer.

6. The interviewer never looks you straight in the eye.

7. You have a terrible headache. The room is very hot and stuffy and the windows are closed.

8. You are asked about your political and religious beliefs.

9. The interviewer receives a phone call which seems to be going on too long.

10. The interviewer talks too much and keeps interrupting you.

11. The interviewer keeps asking questions you can answer with Yes or No.

12. At the end of the interview you still do not have a clear picture of the nature of the job.

13. The interviewer doesn’t tell you when you may expect to hear his/her decision.

Text 6

Read the text and dwell on each factor of ability and motivation. Prove their importance. Do you find these factors equally significant? Why, why not?

Дата добавления: 2015-10-02