DATE=9-17-03

TYPE=English Programs Feature

NUMBER=7-37862

TITLE=The Art of Happiness at Work

BYLINE=Faiza Elmasry

TELEPHONE=619-0940

DATELINE=Washington

EDITOR=Faith Lapidus

CONTENT=

INTRO: When an angry man on the verge of losing his job opens fire at his workplace, it makes news. But behind the dramatic headlines is the often-unrecognized stress people might silently endure on the job. As Faiza Elmasry tells us, even with the increasing rates of unemployment, job insecurity and pressure, philosophers and psychologists still believe that people can enjoy happiness at work.

TEXT: One of the most recent incidents of workplace violence took place just a few weeks ago, in Chicago. As reported on NBC, Edwardo Sanchez was about to change into his work overalls at a small auto parts warehouse, when a former co-worker rushed in:

AUDIO: //CUT1 SANCHEZ//

"He said: 'I want to kill everybody. I'm not going to do anything to you, because you owe me nothing. Get on the floor. I am going to tie your hands. If you do not let me tie your hands, I'll shoot you.'"

TEXT: Murderously angry at his dismissal a few months earlier, the man went from office to office, shooting at random, killing six people.

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"Personally, when I read these stories, it makes me sad, knowing that there are so many steps that people can take before they get to the point where they commit violence."

TEXT: Psychiatrist Howard Cutler says that job dissatisfaction, if undetected and untreated, can lead to violent behavior.

AUDIO: //CUT3 CUTLER//

"There are things that one can do to prevent that from escalating and ending up in some horrible situations like that. The workplace environment has becoming increasingly complex and difficult to deal with. So that's why we need to have various strategies to deal with stress at work, to understand ourselves well, and to adapt to changes that are constantly taking place in the workplace."

TEXT: One of the most devastating changes can be the loss of a job. Mary Guardino, founder of the national non-profit mental health group Freedom From Fear Organization, says being fired often leads to anxiety and depression.

AUDIO: //CUT4 GARDINO//

"It is not as easy as we would like it. But what we can do is educate people so that those who are suffering not only can get treatment, but other people will see the warning signs."

TEXT: The most recognizable warning signs are loss of energy and a lack of interest in formerly enjoyable activities. Psychiatrist Howard Cutler notes that not everyone is equally successful at dealing with job loss.

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"You can have two given individuals that lost their jobs, and one of them cam overcome by misery and depression, and almost paralyzed by anxiety about the unemployment status and fear about looking for work. And you can have another individual who's laid off from the same company, on the same day and who sees the same situation as a challenge or as an opportunity for growth."

TEXT: [BEGIN OPT] Dr. Cutler says being prepared ahead of time for disappointing situations, including unemployment, can make the difference.

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"Sometimes, when we lose one's job, we have a feeling: 'Gee, I've been singled out.' And we personalize the situation. While by preparing a head of time, we can realize that this is to be expected because changes are a characteristic of nature. We would not take it so personally and try to choose one particular boss to blame or hate. We can free up our complete mental faculties and energy to do what we need to do, which is looking for a new job." [END OPT]

TEXT: Dr. Cutler says self-awareness is the key to one's happiness. That's the theme of a new book he wrote with the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama. The Art of Happiness at Work, he says, is meant to serve as a manual on how to uproot unhappiness and replace it with satisfaction.

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"Dalai Lama feels that the more self-awareness you have, in terms of your capabilities and limitations, the more effective you're going to be at work, and the happier you're going to be. For example, if you exaggerate what your knowledge or skills are, you may take on tasks that will be out of your capacity, and set yourself up for frustration and disappointment."

TEXT: In their book, the authors list various sources of dissatisfaction at work… including getting along with others.

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"Dalai Lama, in fact, feels that we should analyze and develop a deep understanding of how we are interdependent and interconnected with those whom we work with, whether it is a boss, a coworker, a subordinate or customers. We should realize that each given individual that we come in contact with in the workplace makes a small contribution to the organization. Without these contributions the organization simply would not exist and we would not have a job."

TEXT: [OPT] Dr. Cutler says that employers are partly responsible for their employees' well being and happiness.

AUDIO: //CUT9 CUTLING//

"Dalai Lama and I also feel that it is important to improve workplace conditions, to increase the employees personal satisfaction. There are a number of studies that shows that if the workers are happy personally, if there is a good atmosphere or climate, then the workers are more productive. Your business is going to do better if you respect your workers, pay attention to their happiness and conduct your business in an ethical way." [END OPT]

TEXT: The Art of Happiness at Work co-author Howard Cutler says life is a quest for happiness. Working simply to produce goods and services is not enough to assure contentment. He says people are happier when the results of their work benefit others, whether it's their families, society, or even the entire world. (Signed)

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