Happiness in the workplace leads to more positive and productive employees

Shortly after the Korean War, Major William Myer decided to study 1,000 American prisoners of war (PoWs) who had been detained in a North Korean camp. He wanted to understand why this particular camp had the highest overall death rate in the military history of the United States—an astounding 38%— although the camps were not considered especially cruel.

Why did so many American soldiers die? Because the North Koreans employed perversely effective forms of psychological torture. Using relentless negativity, such as encouraging selfcriticism, they created a new disease: extreme hopelessness. It was not uncommon for a soldier to walk into his hut, sit down, pull a blanket over his head and die within two days.

This story led psychologist Donald Clifford to wonder whether sustained positivity could have an even stronger impact than negativity.

Thanks to research in the area of positive psychology—generally referred to as “the scientific study of optimal human functioning”—the benefits of positivity can be seen both at work and in one’s personal life.

In a meta-analysis of 225 international academic studies, psychologists found that, at work, happier people have 31% higher productivity, 37% higher sales and three times more creativity (when people are in a good mood, they’re more likely to make unusual associations). Happy people also have higher job satisfaction and are more likely to be promoted. And, according to Gallup Healthways, employees who scored low in “life satisfaction” stay at home an average of 1.25 days a month, resulting in 15 days of lost productivity each year.

So happy employees are clearly an advantage for employers. But how can organizations help their staff cultivate a positive mindset? Recent research in neuroplasticity—the ability of the brain to change even in adulthood—indicates that training your brain to be positive is not that different from training your muscles at the gym. Here are three ways that employers can foster a happy workplace culture.

1| Exercise
One of the best ways to boost happiness levels is through daily physical exercise, according to psychologist Tal Ben-Shahar. He says countless studies have shown that exercising is like taking an antidepressant, while not exercising is like taking a depressant. We were not made to be sedentary, sitting in meetings all day. Humans were designed to move. Begin with just 10 minutes and work up to 30 minutes or more daily. Employers can help their workers become more active by including free or discounted gym memberships in their group benefits plans. They can also encourage their staff to take walks, ideally outside, during breaks and at lunch.

2| Gratitude
Wouldn’t it be great if, in addition to sticky notes with tasks, your employees’ cubicles were lined with notes of gratitude? Encourage your staff members to write down three new things they’re grateful for every day. Soon they will be scanning each day, looking for small things to appreciate.

3| Meditation
Encourage your employees to meditate at their desks for two minutes each day. It sounds simple, but it is more difficult than you might think (though very rejuvenating). For guidelines, check out DoNothingfor2Minutes.com.

So there you have it: three ways to create a culture of happiness. It will keep employees happy—and your bottom line even happier.

Louisa Nedkov is manager of the employee wellness program at Halton Healthcare. lnedkov@haltonhealthcare.on.ca

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