Why Elves Are Happy at Work
Discover Santa’s Secrets for a Magical and Engaging Workplace
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The holiday season is here, and Santa’s elves are busier than ever. But what makes their workplace so magical and engaging?
This week, I’m sharing insights from Santa’s workshop to help you create a happier, more fulfilling workplace. Thank you for reading ValuesCrafting.
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Warmly,SusanWhy Elves Are Happy at Work
Discover Santa’s Secrets for a Magical and Engaging Workplace
The holiday season is here, and I can't help but wonder—what makes Santa's elves so happy and productive, even during their busiest time of the year?
Could it be Hermey the Elf, who left dentistry to become the first Elf HR Manager? Hermey ensured elves thrived, even in the pre-Christmas rush, creating a magical, engaging workplace culture.
This week, I'm sharing what makes the elves' workplace so effective. We can take a page from their playbook to create happier, more fulfilling environments.
Here's what they do to make elves happy at work; you can, too.
The Power of Purpose
Santa's elves have a purpose bigger than themselves. What's not to like about providing all the little boys and girls in the world precisely what they want for a Merry Christmas?
Purpose is precisely what employees–especially Millennials and Gen Z—look for at work. A Korn Ferry survey found that 63% of Millennials wanted companies to focus more on changing the world than making a profit.
Listening to Customers: The Elves’ Secret Sauce
How do elves know what their customers want? They ask them.
See all of the Santas gathered in malls talking with customers? They're listening to their customers and tracking their wishes.
In recent years, they've implemented the "Elf on the Shelf" to monitor children's behavior at home. In other words, the elves know what their customers want because they keep on top of their data.
People worldwide admire and envy the elves' customer intelligence gathering system.
But it's not just about listening to customers—elves also feel confident in their roles, knowing their work will always be needed.
The Comfort of Job Security
Elves feel needed and secure in their employment. Elves have many customer orders – more than they can fill, for all good girls and boys.
Since there are more good girls and boys than bad, elves know that they will never run out of work. Job security is a desirable condition for creating happy employees.
Feelings of job security allow the elves to focus on building, creating, sharing, and producing a helpful, supportive, happy work environment.
While your business may not be as secure as Santa's Workshop, keeping your employees as informed as possible about the competitive environment and company financials can go a long way toward instilling a sense of security.
But a secure job is just the start. At Santa's workshop, purpose and recognition go hand-in-hand, ensuring every Elf feels valued.
Guided by Mission and Vision
Elves have a mission and a vision. They know they must deliver presents on Christmas and do whatever it takes to achieve that goal.
This alignment between the mission and vision and day-to-day tasks enhances motivation.
Elves have a clear mission that guides their daily work: a mission based on customer feedback so integrated that it unconsciously shapes the mission.
Rest and Recharge: Guaranteed Post-Holiday Breaks
Elves get a vacation every year. Elves also know that, while they will work hard this last little while before Christmas, a guaranteed break is coming. (Hermey ensures a complete shutdown for two weeks after Christmas–fully paid, of course.)
But rest is not the only thing that keeps elves happy; it's also knowing the importance of their work and impact.
Innovation Fuels the Workshop
Elves clearly understand the impact of their work. They know their efforts touch the lives of boys and girls worldwide, not just during the holiday season but all year long.
Their gifts create cherished memories and bring families closer together.
Driven by this sense of purpose, the elves thrive on creativity and innovation. They regularly design new toys and improve existing ones, leveraging their skills and imagination to ensure every child receives something magical.
This freedom to innovate empowers the elves to raise the bar on quality and joy continually.
Openness to Change and Progress
Santa and his senior team consider every elf's idea because the goal is happy children, not stoking the leader's ego or feeding their need for control.
This fosters a culture of inclusion and teamwork. This openness emphasizes a willingness to experiment with processes and adjust strategies based on feedback, ensuring the workshop remains aligned with its mission of delivering happiness.
Santa inspires confidence and collaboration at every level by creating an environment where adaptability is encouraged.
Perks That Keep Elves Smiling
Elves enjoy perks that make them feel cherished and valued. Mrs. Claus is famous for her cookies, which she shares joyfully in the workshop.
Hanging out with reindeer—especially the one with a glowing red nose—is another unique benefit few can claim. And, of course, the elf costumes provided by Santa bring smiles to every child's (and Elf's) face.
The key is that Santa and his leadership team understand what matters most to their employees and focus on perks that resonate with their needs. Leadership understands what makes elves happy and ensures perks, like Mrs. Claus's cookies, hit the mark.
From thoughtful perks to growth opportunities, Santa's workshop sets a high bar for employee happiness. It's not just about perks—elves have endless opportunities to develop their skills.
Opportunities to Learn and Grow
Elves have the opportunity to continue to develop their skills and abilities. Not only do elves learn about all the new technology that affects new toys in the off-season, but they also cross-train on the job daily.
Cross-training ensures elves stay versatile and ready to tackle new challenges, securing their future at Santa's workshop.
They can make a whole product or cooperate with other elves to produce a gift for a child. They can move to new product lines, focus on design, or analyze Elf on the Shelf data.
Elves have many opportunities for growth and development. When engaged, elves learn and keep their skills up to the minute. The future for Santa, the elves, and the holiday traditions for little and big children worldwide are secure for future generations.
None of this would be possible without a foundation of trust and respect.
The Foundation of Trust and Respect
Trust and respect permeate the work environment where elves spend their day. Building trust and respect was Hermey's primary focus when establishing the first Elf HR Department.
Actions, not words, drive the culture of trust at Santa's workshop, and Hermey's HR leadership ensures elves feel intrinsically valued.
In Santa's Workshop, the behavior and interactions of leaders and coworkers send a clear message of trust, respect, belief, and value.
Not spoken about very often, actions form the message elves believe in. Santa's actions speak so loudly that he rarely needs to say anything about his beliefs. Elves know.
Recognition is another pillar of the elves' happiness.
Recognizing Every Contribution
Elves receive lots of positive feedback and recognition. Not only do elves receive droves of thank you letters from happy children everywhere, but they also receive positive feedback from Santa every day.
More positive feedback is available to share in a work environment where every employee is happy, recognized, and receives positive feedback.
In a work environment that provides lots of positive attention, elves do not need to compete for it. So, happy employees recognize their coworkers and help them feel appreciated.
This culture of shared positivity eliminates competition for attention, fostering teamwork and mutual appreciation.
Conclusion
While these are not the only requirements for a happy workplace, following them will improve employee engagement and satisfaction.
If you tailor your workforce to what makes your employees happy, you'll have the right perks and pay structure.
If you offer growth opportunities, people will be more inclined to stay.
And don't underestimate the power of small gestures—like fresh-baked cookies—to create a workplace as magical as Santa's.
What traditions or practices in your workplace bring a touch of Santa’s magic to make you feel valued and happy?
Expand Your ValuesCrafting Toolkit
Discover curated resources that deepen your understanding of happiness and work, and other current topics.
“Can Work Make You Happy? Should It?” Is workplace happiness just a myth, or can it be achieved like Santa’s elves demonstrate? According to Arthur C. Brooks, a Harvard Business School Professor and coauthor of Build the Life You Want, happiness at work boils down to two things. You must attain earned success and provide service to other people that matters. See this delightful, just under 3-minute video to find out more.
“Happiness Break: 5 Minutes of Gratitude” —This Happiness Break, guided by Dacher Keltner, features a gratitude meditation designed by Dr. Kathi Kemper. Even elves benefit from moments of gratitude in their busy schedules—try this practice to cultivate your joy. It invites participants to reflect on life's comforts, the unseen efforts of others, and the meaningful connections that enrich their lives, leaving them more grounded and appreciative.
“A Guide to Building Psychological Safety on Your Team” —Harvard Business Review (unlocked). Psychological safety is the cornerstone of high-performing teams, allowing members to speak up without fear of reprisal. This guide offers actionable strategies for creating a workplace where trust thrives; mistakes become opportunities and innovation flourishes.
“Employee perks: What your people actually want.” —From Culture Amp. In Santa’s workshop, perks like Mrs. Claus’s cookies and reindeer visits resonate because they meet the elves' true needs, just as modern employees value perks that enhance their well-being and work-life balance. This article explores how thoughtful benefits, like flexibility and inclusivity, create lasting engagement over flashy extras.