Happiness and Productivity in the Workplace Dr. Mansour Sharifzadeh Department of Management and Human Resources California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Questions to be Answered 1. How do you deﬁne happiness? 2. What makes you happy? 3. What does the “pursuit of happiness” mean? 4. Is a happy employee a more producLve employee? Survey respondents: 850+ Cal Poly Pomona students
De;initions of Happiness 45.0% 40.0% 35.0% 30.0% 25.0% 20.0% 15.0% 10.0% 5.0% 0.0%Student deﬁniLon: “Happiness is being saLsﬁed with all aspects of your life. It includes economical, physical, emoLonal, and other elements. One does not have to be rich to be happy, but ﬁnancial stability is a key. It would be very diﬃcult to be happy if you constantly have to worry about where your next meal is coming from. Likewise, the other aspects of your life need not to be perfect, but rather saLsfactory.” (Sean Wiase, MHR 301)
Contributing Factors • Money and saLsfacLon • Age • Candy? Or a new car? • Time • Short-‐term vs. long-‐term • RelaLonships • Friends, spouses • Eﬀort • Religion • Islam: inner peace • Making others happy • Student criteria: fulﬁllment, saLsfacLon, independence, contentment, success, love, conﬁdence
Happiness Builds • Self creaLon is a perfect example of how each layer has its purpose, and then it comes out as a whole to form happiness: I want a car. Why do you want that? So I can get to work. Why do you want that? So I can earn enough money for a house. Why do you want that? So I can have a place I call my own. Why do you want that? So I can feel free to do with it what I will. Why do you want that? Because when I feel free, I feel happy.
What Makes you happy? • • The most common responses (not in order): • • Accomplishments • Family • Wealth/Money • Love • Rest/sleep • Food • Entertainment • Friends • Hobby • Music • Health • EducaLon/school/good grades
What makes you Happy? • A peaceful place • Car/driving • Boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse • Reward/recogniLon • A nice day/good weather • Friendly people • Helping others • God/church • Pets • Sports/exercise • Places (beach, mountains, amusement park, Las Vegas) • Having fun • Children • Solitude/peace/relaxaLon • VacaLon/travel • Job
What Makes you Happy? • Outdoors/nature • Reading/wriLng • Video games • Smile/laughter • Free will/independence • Shopping • Performing (singing, dancing) • Freedom from worry or conﬂict • Possessions • Elevators/escalators • Computers • Surprises/gies • Rain • Team/group • MeeLng people • Socializing/party • • There is not too much to be said about this list except that there is some commonality, perhaps because of the narrow age range and shared experience of college students.
Pursuit of Happiness • QuesLon 3: What does the "Pursuit of Happiness" mean? • • Very few students had a clear idea of what this meant. Most interpreted the phrase literally as the process of ahaining happiness, which makes them happy. Some related it to equal opportunity or the American Dream. No one pointed out the fact that this phrase comes, not from the Bill of Rights, but the document that founded our naLon -‐ Jeﬀersons DeclaraLon of Independence: • • "We hold these truths to be self-‐evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. -‐-‐That to secure these rights, Governments are insLtuted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed…"
Pursuit of Happiness • The original drae referred to the "Pursuit of Property", but that was later changed. The ConsLtuLon was wrihen to guarantee that these rights could not be taken away from its ciLzens except by due process of law.
Pursuing Happiness • Realize that enduring happiness does not come from material wealth or success • Take control of your Lme • Act happy • Seek work and leisure that engages your skills • Join the movement • Get plenty of rest • Give priority to close relaLonships • Focus beyond the self • Count your blessings • Take care of the soul
Are Happy Employees More Productive at Work? • Survey: majority agreed (>90% Yes) • Work happiness depends on: • Fair treatment • Pay/beneﬁts compensaLon • Hours worked • Enjoyable work environment • 70% of responses indicated that work environment is more signiﬁcant than monetary saLsfacLon • RelaLonship seems to be linear • DirecLon? (Will happiness outside work contribute to greater eﬀort?)
Conclusions • Happiness is diﬃcult to deﬁne, as it means diﬀerent things to diﬀerent people • Everyone has an idea of what would make them happy • QualitaLve variable rather than quanLtaLve • But subject to degrees • Diﬃcult to measure • Scope must be deﬁned • Factors which management can control may vary