What Is Happiness?

We spend a huge chunk of our lives at work, but what does happiness at work really mean?

Too often, people think it’s about being “+10 happy” every day. Always upbeat, always thriving. The reality? Happiness is more of a squiggly line. Some days you’re buzzing with energy, other days you’re just getting through, and sometimes you dip into frustration or exhaustion. Take this image below. To me, both of these are versions of happiness:

The important part isn’t staying at +10 all the time. I don’t believe that’s impossible. It’s recognising and creating the “spikes” that make work feel meaningful. The spikes being times where that happiness level might hit +10. Those small wins, moments of recognition, or times you feel you’ve made a difference.

Everyone’s line looks different. What feels like a high point for one person might feel average to another. That’s why one-size-fits-all benefits plans don’t work. Instead, the challenge for employers is to create an environment where more people can find their spikes, more often.

We can’t control happiness, and we shouldn’t try to. But that doesn’t mean we can’t influence happiness.

At CHEER, we help businesses uncover what really matters to their people, then use that knowledge to improve engagement, retention, and results.

If you’d like to explore workshops on happiness at work and EVP, take a look here: CHEER Workshops.

Alternatively, founder Joe is available for talks on these topics (typically 20minutes).
If interested, reach out via his Linkedin or fill out a contact form here.