Measuring to evaluate, is fundamental in any decision making by leaders and managers. But are we really looking at all the right KPIs? Are companies doing a 360º assessment of all their stakeholders? Maybe not…

I believe we are already conscious that happy employees not only contribute to improving their performance and career development but also contribute to increasing the company's effective performance and results. So why do we continue to hold management meetings, where we don't even present data that evaluate the level of well-being of the most precious asset of the companies: People?

Any organization in the Tourism industry today faces continuous change and transformation as a result of the VUCA World* in which we find ourselves. We will all be forced to take on new challenges to overcome the difficulties. Obviously, all this instability and change affects the well-being and physical and emotional health of employees. And it is in this sense that companies must seek strategies to optimize and develop the well-being of their teams and employees, while also maintaining their level of performance, regardless of the situation in which they find themselves (layoff, reduction, working,...).

The introduction of Positive Psychology into the organizational environment began in the 1990s with Martin Seligman. Although many still consider happiness for those who work a utopia, Positive Psychology suggests that happiness is achievable, as well as the natural result of building our well-being and satisfaction with life, whether at a personal level or in a business context. Martin Seligman has spent many years developing the Theory of Happiness, introducing the PERMA model for building well-being.

PERMA is an acronym for Positive Emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishments. In this model, well-being is subject to five pillars: the presence of more Positive Emotions than negative ones in daily life, the exercise of activities that provide involvement or Flow, the existence of Nourishing Relationships, the presence of a Purpose that goes beyond the individual himself and, finally, Achievements.

HOW CAN TOURISM BENEFIT FROM THE APPLICATION OF THIS MODEL?

P - Positive Emotions

Barbara Fredrickson's broaden and build theory confirms that positive emotions help build a repertoire of thoughts and actions to respond to the situations that present themselves. They also contribute to building resilience in adverse times. From an organizational point of view, positive emotions have a contagious effect on improving the environment.

Tourism as an activity already generates positive emotions, so these same positive emotions should also be experienced by individual employees, as they will create a cascading effect that benefits organizational functioning.

E- Engagement

It is nothing new that employees who are more involved with the company, identify with its purpose and the function they perform produce better results. One of the models proposed by positive psychology for measuring this involvement measures three factors - energy, dedication, and how integrated people are in their activity, team, or organization. The confidence in people and in the environment is also of relevant importance.

R - Relationships

How much is said about teamwork and its importance? But how much do this complicity, inclusion, and participation exist for all employees? Human beings are "social" and this must also be the case in organizations. Tourism is an industry of People for People and positive relationships have to be built from inside to outside the company, in a transversal and vertical way. This will give us a feeling of support and connection. That we are not alone.

M - Meaning

Seligman defines this as one of the most difficult factors to work with, as it deals with our connection with "something greater than ourselves", with the aggravating factor that most tourism companies have not recognized, nor work for its purpose. All companies have an essence, a reason to exist that is then sustained in their values and principles. All employees should be aligned with that purpose so that they can experience a sense of belonging.

There is a high correlation (0.63) between people who find meaning at work and high performance. Do you still think it doesn’t make sense?

A - Accomplishments

These are the goals and objectives that we propose, either as a company, as a team, or individually. A high rate of achievement usually comes with a sense of autonomy and self-efficacy. Feeling that we are able to deliver strengthens our self-esteem and motivation. Knowing what our objectives are and how we contribute to the development of the company, contributes to our well-being within it, and constantly seeks to evolve together.

Companies are human and it is in this way that they will have to be cared for and led...

*VUCA World: for more information see the content of our blog https://www.please-disturb.com/blog-uk-1/tourism-muvuca