In the United States, we often think that happiness is a result of success—that the people at the top of the corporate ladder, or the ones making lots of money, are the happiest among us. And if you measure levels of happiness among the “successful” crowd, you will find that these people are happier than those at the bottom of the ladder.
But recent research shows that we may be thinking about the relationship the wrong way; rather than happiness being a result of success, success may be a result of happiness.
What the Research Says
Researchers from the University of California analyzed evidence from cross-sectional, longitudinal, and experimental studies to determine whether happiness could actually promote career success. They found that happiness often preceded success, namely in three main areas:
- Making more money. Happy people ended up with higher salaries than those who were chronically unhappy in their work.
- Performing better. Perhaps unsurprisingly, happier people are more productive. They get more done in less time, and show superior results when evaluated for the quality of their performance.
- Performing more helpful acts. Happier workers are more willing to work with others, and make sacrifices for the good of a team.
What It Means for Your Business
If you want to be successful and you want your business to be successful, you need to create an environment where both you and your employees can be happy. Part of that means creating a culture that encourages social openness and similar values, but part of that means establishing an ergonomics and wellness plan that keeps your employees happy, healthy, and comfortable.
The benefits of a wellness plan extend far beyond raw cost savings and attractiveness in recruiting—it can actually make you and your employees more successful. For more information, or to begin a consultation, be sure to contact us at Ethiam!