There are very few people who would say they wouldn’t like to be happier, and it’s easy to see why.
The feeling of happiness is a wonderful experience, emotionally and mentally, and it makes sense that we’d want to create more of that in our lives.
Many industry luxury cars has sprung up around the concept of happiness, and how to cultivate more of it. From bestselling books such as The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin to online courses like The Science of Happiness from The Greater Good Center – there’s every resource available to help you explore your happy self.
But what about the why of doing so beyond a nice feeling?
Research is showing that bringing more happiness into your life has far more benefits than merely feeling good.
What are the Benefits of Happiness?
It was Aristotle who once said “Happiness is the meaning and purpose of life, the whole aim and the end of human existence” – a sentiment that is still true today. While Aristotle had a philosophical notion of the importance of happiness for human well-being, today we have a range of science and research to back it up.
Scientific studies have begun to reveal a host of physical health benefits surrounding happiness including a stronger immune system, stronger resilience in the face of stress, a stronger heart and less risk of cardiovascular disease, alongside quicker recovery times when overcoming illness or surgery. There is even a body of research that indicates being happy may help us to live longer lives.
Across all of the research, there is a conflict between whether feeling happier directly leads to better health outcomes, or whether it is merely a correlation.
Some researchers have hypothesized that feeling happier and more positive leads to greater participation in activities that are healthier including exercise, eating healthy, socializing and good sleeping habits.
It’s easy to confuse success with happiness, and many people strive for professional goals (money or job titles) only to achieve them and realize it doesn’t provide them with the sense of happiness they were hoping for.
Until relatively recently, work and happiness weren’t really connected, but research is starting to show that there is a range of benefits for happy employees – for both the individual and the organization.
Here are 4 benefits of happiness at work:
1. Better Decision Making & Creative Problem Solving
Happiness at work has a range of benefits for how our brains work and think. When we’re happier, we tend not to focus on the negatives or stressors as much, allowing more room to think about how to positively get on with challenges (Brockis, 2019).
2. Improved Individual and Team Productivity
Sgroi (2015) in a study for the University of Warwick found that happier employees tended to be 12% more productive, whereas unhappy employees were up to 10% less productive.
3. Better Customer Service Satisfaction
A study from Gallup (2017) found that happier employees were more engaged, which resulted in improved customer relationships, and a 20% increase in sales. When we feel happy, we’re more likely to express ourselves positively and want to help those around us.
4. It Might Help You Earn More
Tang (2006) found that feelings in life satisfaction were linked to higher salaries, however, this wasn’t consistent, and varied between genders. It’s also difficult to determine whether having a higher salary led to greater life satisfaction due to having fewer financial stressors.
Conclusion
How often do you consider quitting your job and feel that you are not getting paid enough for the dedication and service you offer your organization?
Happiness and satisfaction are subjective concepts – while for some of us monetary benefits can be equated with job satisfaction, some might strive for recognition of their hard work and lose motivation on failing to achieve so.
For some people, having a friendly environment at work is an essential requisite for deriving pleasure. No matter what the standards are, being content with our careers is crucial for maintaining the ‘work-life’ balance.