The second World Happiness Report has just been published last month, by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN). As expected, with the increased world-wide concern for happiness and life satisfaction, the report highlights the importance of well-being, as an indicator of economic and social growth.
In its introduction, the report talks about the meaning of happiness and how we usually understand it.
“The word happiness is not used lightly. Happiness is an aspiration of every human being, and can also be a measure of social progress.”
So, from an economic stand point, how can we ensure happiness?
It depends on what people understand by happiness, especially in the workplace. In the last years technology has advanced like never before, and it continues to do so. We all have an obsolete gadget lying around the office, even though it feels like we bought it only yesterday. It’s great that we have all these automated processes making our jobs easier, making data more accessible and aggregating information in a matter of seconds. It saves us a lot of time, but we have to admit it changed us.
Priorities have changed and now we want to be happy at work. Now that we have more time to focus on our needs and desires, some values have reasserted their importance even in our professional lives. Important values such as gratitude, relationships, a purposeful career and effective communication.
Being happy is not just about having a job and finishing that long list of tasks, it’s also about building a life of achievements and a network. World leaders and the private sector should be aware of the significance of these changes. Providing jobs is no longer enough. People want to be happy at work, happy with their lives and they are striving to get there.
That’s why, with this newly declared right to the pursuit of happiness, companies will have to meet expectations and build working environments accordingly. Those who have a head start on it should focus on maintaining their standards and retain their employees.
Read more about the current state in world happiness and analyze your company’s stand on the matter.
How happy is your working environment? Do you think you can improve it?
Image via StockSnap.io under C.C.0 license
Leave A Comment