I thought we'd share a little about TPR Group's amazing organisational culture. It is quite unique in the marketplace or we like to think so....Imagine a company in this tough economic climate whose sole focus is on happiness and wellbeing for businesses doing it tough.
The assumption that happiness and productivity go together seems hard to contest. Common sense suggests that psychologically healthy (as opposed to complacent) workers with a smile outshine the grouches.
Support for that view comes from a raft of research including a Kansas State University study that surfaced earlier this year, which found that staff with high wellbeing make better decisions, show superior interpersonal skills and are less inclined to quit.
That’s the philosophy of our organisation who provide a range of healthy office solutions and products to create a happy and productive office environment for their clients. Originally conceived as an indoor plant hire company more than 30 years ago when owner Stuart Swaddling had the foresight to bring ‘green’ indoors, the company has evolved in recent times to provide a suite of services that deliver happiness and wellbeing to its clients.
We like to say at TPR we’ve undergone a transformation, a happiness and wellbeing transformation! We help people feel connected to nature by providing everything from soothing water features, aquariums, living plants, eco-friendly heaters, sculptures and artvases.
Today, TPR is a network of some 35 franchisees nationwide and growing, many of whom have been in the business for over ten years. Most work less than 30 hours a week, and have extra time for their families and recreation too. That’s part of our happy culture. It is important that we make time for our families and recreational pursuits, to aid lifestyle balance.
This is embedded in the organisation’s culture. TPR regularly hosts ‘happy activities’: laughter yoga for franchisees; ‘Wollemi Club’ weekends away for franchisees and office staff with their families; optimism tools for franchisees to help them on ‘happy day sales calls’ and even a happy board where staff and visitors write a ‘happy’ message before leaving the office. We celebrate the arrival of a new franchisee into the system, part of the reason that many franchisees are attracted through friends and family. Staff at our Head Office share lunchtimes together every day as a group and Friday afternoons are sacred for coming together as a team at 3.30pm, to celebrate the past week with a drink.
Happiness is not just an elusive word but a critical component in producing a productive working environment, particularly when the pressure is on. This is supported by Harvard Business School Research, which indicates workers in a good mood on any given day are more likely to have creative ideas that day and the next. A positive cognitive process sets in, parking ‘flexible, fluent and original thinking’. One way to promote a ‘feel good’ glow in the workplace is for bosses to ensure the environment is anchored in ‘nature’. It makes people feel grounded even when the going gets tough.
It is well documented that employees who are constantly under pressure are more likely to have workplace related stress difficulties even sometimes resulting in clinical depression. Tools to assist reduce workplace stress include introducing time-out breaks, exercise activity and of course getting close to nature.
Bringing ‘green’ indoors is critical to this. Every employee should have a green living plant within their eyesight and preferably one on their desk too, to help them identify with nature and assist in staying grounded on difficult days. It is not an added cost but really a necessity to ensure absenteeism and workplace stress does not over-run your organization and affect productivity.
The Margaret Burchett Papers
How Plants Affect People's Health
Reports and Fact Sheets
More about developments in the study of happiness and positive psychology from this TIME magazine article.
Ten Ways to be happy at work
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