Eliminating Stress and Promoting Organizational Happiness within a Jamaican Local Government Organization

Organizations continue to face significant challenges in fostering employee happiness, despite its widely acknowledged importance for sustainable growth (Omar et al., 2018). Two critical obstacles include the absence of a universal definition of happiness (Kosztyán et al., 2023; Ordu & Sarı, 2022) and a scarcity of reliable tools to predict factors that enhance employee well-being (Omar et al., 2018).

Notably, most existing research has been conducted outside the Caribbean and the public sector. As a result, there is a marked lack of data on how to effectively promote organizational happiness among public sector employees within the region. This gap is particularly relevant to Jamaica, where the Vision 2030 National Development Plan outlines a goal of becoming one of the best places to live, work, and do business (Planning Institute of Jamaica, 2009). Attaining such a goal will require an empirical understanding of how to measure and sustain employee well-being in government institutions.

To address this gap, a small-scale study was conducted within a Jamaican local government organization. This blog post presents the key findings from that study and reflects on their broader implications for public sector development in Jamaica.

Methodology

The study utilized a 10-item survey disseminated to 29 employees within a local government body. Participation was voluntary, and respondents were assured of anonymity and that their responses would carry no negative repercussions.

The survey instrument was developed specifically for this context, focusing on how employees defined organizational happiness, their current level of happiness, and the circumstances that influence it.

Key Findings

How Employees Define Organizational Happiness

Employees were presented with three distinct definitions of organizational happiness:

1. Having a positive attitude toward the workplace,

2. Experiencing pleasant emotions while avoiding negative ones,

3. Engaging in noble and meaningful activities that allow for the realization of their full potential.

While all three received some level of agreement, the most favored definition involved engaging in meaningful work that aligns with one’s highest potential. This suggests that, for many, happiness at work transcends superficial contentment and is instead rooted in purpose and self-actualization.

Figure 1

Organizational Happiness Defined at a Public Sector Organization

Employees’ Level of Happiness

Participants were also asked whether they regularly feel happy at work. The responses were nearly evenly split between those who agreed and those who disagreed. This suggests a lack of consistency in how happiness is experienced across the organization, pointing to broader systemic issues.

Figure 2

Prolonged Organizational Happiness

Factors Influencing Organizational Happiness

Six key factors were tested to determine their impact on employee well-being:

1. Fair treatment from supervisors and managers,

2. Supervisor concern for employee well-being,

3. Supervisor recognition and valuation of work,

4. Alignment between one’s work and organizational goals,

5. Organizational culture that promotes well-being,

6. Access to stress management systems.

Among employees who reported consistent happiness, only two factors garnered strong agreement: feeling that supervisors care about their well-being, and receiving fair treatment. In contrast, employees who disagreed that they were consistently happy expressed the strongest dissatisfaction with the lack of organizational systems to manage stress.

Figure 3 illustrates the responses from employees who agreed they consistently experienced organizational happiness. Among these individuals, only two statements received agreement: "I feel that my manager(s) and supervisor(s) consistently look out for my well-being" and "I constantly receive fair treatment from my supervisors and managers." In contrast, Figure 4 details the degree of agreement with various claims among those who disagreed that they consistently experienced organizational satisfaction.

Figure 3

Factors Contributing to Organizational Happiness Among Employees Who Agree that they Consistently

Experience Organizational Happiness

 Figure 4, in contrast to Figure 3, shows a far more varied dispersion among the components for those who disagreed that they consistently experienced organizational happiness. Notably, among this group, the strongest point of disagreement was with the statement that the organization has mechanisms in place to help employees cope with stress. This suggests that, when it comes to sustaining organizational satisfaction among public sector employees in Jamaica, organizational-level factors (like stress management support) may have a more significant impact than issues directly related to supervision.

Figure 4

Factors Contributing to Organizational Happiness Among Employees Who Consistently Disagree that they Experience Organizational Happiness

This discrepancy indicates that while positive supervisory relationships may contribute to happiness, they are not sufficient in isolation. Structural and systemic supports—especially stress management mechanisms—play a more critical role in sustaining long-term well-being.

Implications

The data reveals that organizational happiness among Jamaican public sector employees is influenced more by systemic and cultural factors than by supervisory behaviors alone. This may reflect the unique motivations of public servants, many of whom are driven by a sense of service and national development. As such, the perceived "altruism" of the organization—its genuine commitment to staff welfare—can either bolster or diminish job satisfaction.

For Jamaica to realize its Vision 2030 goals, public institutions must invest in building a culture of organizational care. This includes creating meaningful work opportunities, ensuring fair treatment, and implementing sustainable support systems that prioritize employee well-being.

References

Kosztyán, Z. T., Csizmadia, T., Pató, B. S. G., Berke, S., Neumanné-Virág, I., & Bencsik, A. (2023). Measuring organizational happiness in higher education - a data-driven approach. Cogent Education, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2023.2190382

Omar, M. K., Ramdani, N. F. S. M., Mohd, I. H., & Hussein, N. (2018). Organizational Happiness Index (OHI): A study of a public university in Malaysia. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 8(11). https://doi.org/10.6007/ijarbss/v8-i11/5562

Ordu, A., & Sarı, T. (2022). The role of innovative work behaviour in the relationship between organizational support and organizational happiness. Research in Educational Administration and Leadership, 7(4), 899–935. https://doi.org/10.30828/real.1075453

Planning Institute of Jamaica. (2009). Vision 2030 Jamaica: National Development Plan. Planning Institute of Jamaica. http://www.mwh.gov.jm/?disp_page=aboutus&page_name=About Us