Mandating happiness?

“You have to want to be here”, was a quote recently attributed to a Trader Joe’s manager when discussing an employee’s performance review.  This quote came from an article that discussed how this former Trader Joe’s employee filed an unfair labor practice against his former employer because he was fired for being “insufficiently genuine” with his friendliness.  This is an intriguing consideration, being sufficiently genuinely friendly, smiling, and happy on one hand, and actually being friendly, smiling, and happy on the other hand.  Let’s explore a bit more.

We are all human beings, and as humans we are very rarely in one mood all the time.  And as much as businesses thrive on having their employees feeling happy, that’s an almost impossible state for humans to regularly maintain.  People have bad days, and sometimes those emotions leek out into the work place.  At the same time, when on the job, we do have to push some of our emotional states to the side in order to effectively execute our respective responsibilities.  It may not be easy and it may not be fun, but sometimes it’s what the situation calls for.  Yet there are still going to be those times when a genuine smile will not emerge on our face, when our vocal tone may not be up to par, or when we simply just need to get through the day.

So what happens when being happy, when being in a good mood, when having a continuous smile, becomes mandatory?  Well, it may work.  When hiring, many companies will look for signs of a genuinely pleasant demeanor as a way to maintain their brand.  Or, in some cases, it may lead to legal problems, such as when the NLRB ruled against T-Mobile on a company rule that mandated specific friendly communications practices.  Either way, it is far better to actually actively work to create conditions that allow for desired behaviors to emerge rather than to mandate it.

What can organizations do that will help facilitate environments in which happiness and smiles emerge, as opposed to being coerced out?  Just as it’s easier to get someone to swim in a warm pool as compared to a cold lake, organizations that focus on bringing out the best in their employees are more likely to get a greater return on their investment than if they force their employees to behave in specific ways.  Recognizing contributions, allowing people to be emotionally human, and having mutual accountability are just a few ways to achieve this.  Developing strong communication practices across the board also helps. If you want that “you have to want to be here” attitude at your organization, create conditions that facilitate that sentiment,because mandating a mood might make people very unhappy.