The Happiness Index

CHAPTER 11Clarity

Imagine traveling to a gig to see your favorite band but not knowing what city the event was in. Now imagine not knowing what time it starts or how you're going to get there. That would be stressful, right? Well this type of thing happens in organizations all the time.

Of the top eight needs, clarity is the simplest to understand, but its importance is often underestimated in helping employees feel engaged at work.

Companies make assumptions, including assuming that employees know what is expected of them. It's obvious what your organization does and what your employees need to do, right? You give them job descriptions, after all.

This is a very common mistake that we see in the data and throughout organizations. I also know this because it is one area that I and other founders across the world routinely mess up on. The closer you are to running an organization, the easier it is to forget that not everyone is privy to the information that you are.

Never assume anything. Work hard to offer clarity from the recruitment process all the way through the performance review. Employees vary on how much detail they want, but conveying the big picture is important to driving employee engagement.

What Is Clarity?

Clarity is the ability to think without distraction and to concentrate on relevant information and tasks. Clarity is important for employees, and is one ...