The keys to a fulfilling life at work

We all aspire to a fulfilling life at work. Achieving this, however, requires a clear understanding of the elements that contribute to the satisfaction of everyone in the company. 

Well-being, environment, recognition, quality of relationships... Many factors come into play when we talk about quality of life at work. 

At Pluxee, our mission is to help Luxembourg companies improve employee satisfaction and commitment. These topics are therefore particularly close to our hearts. In this article, we'd like to take a look at the main elements that support the improvement of the working environment.

Promoting a caring corporate culture

Ensuring a healthy and pleasant working environment is an essential element when it comes to professional fulfillment. At Pluxee, we strive to ensure an inclusive, caring and collaborative corporate culture. In this regard, we recently received “Great Place to Work” certification following a survey that directly questions employee experience. We are also proud to have been awarded the “Happy trainees” label, which celebrates the quality of our welcome and support for trainees. 

Improving corporate culture means first and foremost listening to employees, their expectations and aspirations. Today, work-life balance is more important than ever. Corporate well-being has become a key criterion in young people's career choices. This trend is forcing most sectors to take care of their corporate culture. Generation Z (born after 1995), for example, places great importance (70%) on sharing common values with the company they work for[1]. By listening to them, the company can adapt to meet their expectations. What's more, it's important to note that a positive corporate culture goes hand in hand with overall company performance, and more specifically with improved productivity, loyalty, innovation, agility, well-being and customer service[2].

Nurture your relationships

Good mental health within organizations is generally associated with productivity and efficiency. A number of factors need to be taken into account to ensure well-being in the workplace. The organization of work and the match between professional requirements and the ability to meet them are two fundamental elements. Another encouraging factor is good internal social relations. 

To create a good atmosphere in-house, the employer can implement a number of concrete measures, such as promoting inclusiveness and collaboration, or organizing formal and informal events on a recurring basis. Team building or a lunch between colleagues at a good table that accepts Pluxee lunch vouchers is often beneficial for team cohesion. This is where friendly exchanges can take place, or where certain tensions can be eased. 

Good communication is key

Communication is one of the pillars of a fulfilling work environment. It needs to be managed by the employer, but it can also be improved by the employees themselves. 

The employer, by communicating regularly with his teams, will reinforce the feeling of trust, and reduce uncertainty and stress. Good internal communication will foster employee engagement, especially if their voice is heard in return and taken into account. This will encourage them to communicate with their peers themselves, which will improve internal relations.  

Of course, corporate communication takes on a different dimension if the company has 5 employees or 250. Depending on the size of the company, internal communication will take a more or less organized form, and require more or less time. 

In all cases, it should be based on the principles of transparency and collaboration, rather than control. 

Maintain trust

Trust is the foundation of all successful relationships, whatever their nature. At work, mutual trust stimulates commitment, motivation, the desire to do well, to improve, and therefore to be effective. 

Trust between management and employees is built and maintained in a number of ways: through active listening on the part of management, through communication and transparency, through employee involvement in decision-making, or by allowing employees a high degree of working flexibility. 

A climate of trust is a solid basis for creating a positive atmosphere within an organization. If a manager is honest and fair, his employees will tend to behave in the same way towards him. In the same way, a virtuous circle is established when we are able to acknowledge our mistakes, share information, listen to understand and value good ideas.

Take on new challenges

To feel good at work, most of us like to be stimulated from time to time, and to have opportunities for development. This is a very important point. While boredom can be a source of creativity, it doesn't bode well when it takes hold of the office on a daily basis. We mustn't hesitate to encourage employees to talk about it on a regular basis. It's true that superiors can sometimes have their heads in the sand and miss the difficulties they're experiencing.

Engaging in dialogue is always a good thing, no matter how delicate the subject. By preparing their thoughts and explaining them to their manager in a constructive way, employees can make a difference at their own level, but they don't always realize it. Together, you can find possible solutions: training, reorientation, new challenges. 

[1]https://www.cc.lu/fileadmin/user_upload/tx_ccnews/Guide_pratique_Generation_Z_FR_spreads_WEB.pdf

[2] https://www.greatplacetowork.lu/fr/blog/fortune-europe-2024