On 25 June, the VUture inspiration session was filled in by Meike Bartels, professor of genetics & wellbeing at the Vrije Universiteit (VU) since 2014, and Berend van der Kraats, former naval commander on a submarine. Meike investigates what happiness (or rather the feeling of 'wellbeing') is, what determines it and what influence genetic and environmental factors have on its stability. Both have been working for years with an approach that actively involves employees themselves in improving their working environment. This ties in with the VUture programme, which serves as a catalyst to improve the VU.
What role does wellbeing play in the workplace?
Meike explains: "Wellbeing (also called 'happiness') is a huge catalyst: if you feel good, you get much more done than if you don't. Differences in people's feelings of happiness are determined for 40% by differences in genetic predisposition and the other 60% by different environmental influences. Every person is therefore unique. It is therefore important to find out who you are, what you can and cannot do, and especially not to make the latter your daily work. Yet we don't always do that. Because society tests us from childhood and imposes things on us, or because we think we can do something we are not good at. Wellbeing at work is often measured by organisational figures on productivity, absenteeism, etc. Meike and Berend believe that research into people's well-being should start and end with people. Berend ran several programmes, including at the Navy, in which the focus was on how to put employees at the helm. What can we learn from this?
