Organizational happiness drives organizational success

Week 1 of the Organizational Happiness delivered by Lars Kure Juul through UPEACE Centre for Executive Education has flown by. With participants all over the globe, this program is set to empower individuals to walk the talk and create more organizational happiness.

As individuals, we want to be happy. This is a universal truth. We want to be happy at home, but also at work. So how do we create organizational happiness?

The first week of this 5-week course was dedicated to bringing the evidence from the science of happiness to the forefront. What do we know about happiness at work? It turns out, a lot. We know organizational happiness pays off - it has been proven. And we know how to create organizational happiness - it’s been done before. Success first, happiness second it’s simply a broken formula for happiness or success. A happy person is 31% more productive (Greenberg & Arawaka), which is great for the organization. Being more productive also leads to higher feelings of fulfillment, engagement and ultimately happiness. Organizations see increases in sales up to 37% (Martin Seligman), 44% higher retention rates (Gallup), 125% less burnout (HBR), 66% sick leaves (Forbes) and up to 51% less turnover (Gallup).

So the business case for organizational happiness is a no brainer. Therefore, let’s focus on organizational happiness first and, as evidence shows, even greater success will follow.

As I am writing this article I am reflecting deeply on the state of organizational happiness around the globe? Where do organizations stand? As per the data shared by Gallup in their 2022 State of the Global Workplace only 33% of employees are thriving in their overall wellbeing and only 21% of employees are engaged at work. We surely can do better.

Organizational happiness is not straightforward, but with the right knowledge and tools organizational happiness can become an engine for high performance and sustainable success. We need happy people, happy organizations, and happy nations.

As Lars puts it beautifully in his book (Organizational Happiness) when it comes to organizational happiness, an organization’s role and responsibility is to facilitate and create an environment and leadership culture that makes happy employees.

One thing is certain. Most organizations have an enormous potential to do better. Organizational happiness it’s the key to unlocking that potential in the most effective way.

Let me know in the comments what comes to mind when you hear “organizational happiness”?

Stay tuned to find out more throughout our 5-week journey into Organizational Happiness and find out more about how to facilitate and create an environment and leadership culture that makes happy employees.