5 Ways to Make Joy a Core KPI

Key performance indicators (KPIs) are foundational to most jobs. These useful measurements help companies understand progress over time. But beyond revenue growth and profit margin, there’s one KPI some managers overlook: joy.

How happy are your employees?
Perhaps more importantly, what’s your own level of joy in your job? At Dell Technologies and at Renegade Global—a consulting practice that helps people invest in their personal brand and growth—we see the people in our businesses, not just the professionals.

1. Make play nonnegotiable.
Play goes hand in hand with curiosity, which in turn fuels engagement. When you prioritize play, you combat opposing feelings of burnout and even depression.

2. Diversify your sources of happiness.
There are different kinds of happiness: “rock star,” which you might experience after a big win; “flow,” which happens when you’re caught up in something you enjoy; and “higher purpose,” which occurs when you focus on something bigger than yourself. You need all three.

3. Avoid the three Ps.
Of the common pitfalls people tend to fall into at work, three Ps top the list: perfectionism (seeking an unattainable standard), people-pleasing (never putting yourself first) and personalizing (making things “about you”). Be sure to give yourself—and others—the grace to make mistakes. Prioritize your own needs and remember that not everything is personal.

4. Overcome difficult conversations.
Effective communication is an art form. When you have a difficult conversation ahead, consider the following steps:

• Vent to a neutral third party (not colleagues) to release tension.
• Empathize with the other person’s perspective.
• Rehearse what you want to say.
• Ask for what you need—then stop talking.

5. Check in weekly.
At Dell and within Renegade Global, we have seen great results with weekly check-ins, asking questions such as, Which activities did I love? Which ones did I loathe? What are my priorities? What help do others need from me?
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With these tips in mind, you can transcend clichés about work-life balance and make joy a core KPI of your job.
Want to read more stories like this? Check out Realize magazine.

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This guest blog was submitted by Dell Technologies. For more information on guest blog opportunities, contact Marla McColly, Business Development Director, Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association.