Happy Hour is 9 to 5

by Alexander Kjerulf

Hard day at the office?

We should expect more from the 9 to 5, argues entrepreneur and happiness expert Alexander Kjerulf. Managers should make it a priority too: this book is packed with data that shows that happier people are more productive, more innovative, more motivated, deliver better customer service AND handle change better.

Happiness at work may sound a pipe dream but achieving it is actually quite possible. First, we need to understand what it’s not. It’s not about high-fiving and cheerleading (although it could be for some people). It’s not about eliminating all the bad stuff from our job – it’s about being happy at work even though some of those bad things are present.

Research across 30 countries shows that happiness at work rests on results and relationships. Happy Hour is 9 to 5 gives detailed, practical advice on building the skills and energy to improve both.Here you’ll learn how to deal with everything from nightmare bosses, bullies, miserable co-workers, long-running conflicts, stifling bureaucracy and management who refuse to see anything beyond the bottom line. It’s also full of inspiring real-life stories: of a temp worker cheering up her co-workers with small, random acts of kindness. A group of nurses rebel against the hospital’s sour mood and turn their ward into a happy place. A programmer at a bank learns what it takes to turn his department from boring to fun. Alexander speaks from his own experience, both as co-founder of the Danish IT Company Enterprise Systems and as an expert on workplace happiness for clients including Hilton, Microsoft, Lego, Ikea, Shell, HP and IBM. His work has been featured in the Sunday Times, New York Times?, and BBC Radio 4’s In Business. www.positivesharing.com Happy Hour is 9 to 5 is an outstanding book because it reminds us of the importance of our health and wellbeing. Read this book!’ Professor Cary L. Cooper, CBE

Genres: Nonfiction, Business, Self Help, Psychology, Personal Development, Leadership

178 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Alexander Kjerulf is the founder and Chief Happiness Officer of Woohoo inc and one of the world's leading experts on happiness at work. He is a speaker, consultant and author, presenting and conducting workshops on happiness at work at businesses and conferences in over 30 countries. His clients include companies like Hilton, Microsoft, LEGO, IKEA, Shell, HP and IBM.

He has a masters degree in computer science from The University of Southern Denmark, and was a co-founder of the Danish IT company Enterprise Systems.

Alex is the author of 4 books including the international bestseller Happy Hour is 9 to 5 - How to Love Your Job, Love Your Life and Kick Butt at Work. The book has been extremely well received all over the world and is available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Danish, Vietnamese, Farsi, Indonesian and Chinese.

And in case your wondering, his last name (Kjerulf) is pronounced a little like care-oolf.

Reviews

[Angelica Bentley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alexander Kjerulf makes a compelling case for the subversive notion that being happy at work will make every employee more productive, more creative, more flexible and even healthier. That putting the employees first, and productivity, profits, shareholders' satisfaction and all the traditional corporate goals in subordinate positions, will actually achieve all those worthy objectives because of the happier mind-set of the staff and not despite it. I say “subversive” because, in my own experience spanning 30 years, two continents and dozens of jobs (I did a fair bit of temping), the corporate cultures and working environments I encountered have been the polar opposite of what is so convincingly advocated in this book.

Anyone with half a brain and the correct objectives would recognize that the simple message in this book, restated and adapted to cover all possible scenarios, is the only way to go and yet, I would be very surprised if the offices and corporations I have left behind would have the courage to do the 180 degree turn necessary to embrace this ideology and, thereby expose the clueless and talentless to scrutiny and the inevitable consequences. One has to recognize that the Scandinavian countries are miles ahead in this, and the stellar performance of so many of their top companies demonstrates the superiority of their thinking.

This book is directed at both the employee and the manager, and explains logical and reasonable steps that anyone can take to improve their working experience. However, in practical terms, I think it would be of much greater benefit to managers and leaders as they, by definition, hold the reins and have the best chance of implementing meaningful change. In fact, it should be required reading for all managers, especially those who thrive on fostering an atmosphere of back-stabbing competition. Still, the notion that job satisfaction is directly related to the good feeling we get when we do terrific work and act in harmony and co-operation with our colleagues is a fundamental concept that anyone can embrace and strive to put into action.

My only criticism is that, in Chapter 4, the section dealing with Fear of Losing Your Job is a bit myopic. The author suggests that being fired is not the disaster that most people think, and then goes on to defuse the shame and guilt that inevitably follow. He gives case studies indicating that, for some, being fired led to a very positive change as it opened up new opportunities for the person who was fired. This clearly would only work in a job market where alternative employment is plentiful, and dangerously glosses over the very real possibility that one's career may never recover from the stigma. It certainly sounds like working in Denmark might be a lot of fun.

Apart from that minor point, I really enjoyed the positive, upbeat, energetic message of this book, and found the advice on pursuing happiness to be applicable to life in general, even outside of work. This truly is a “happiness manual” which grows in usefulness with successive readings, as the deceptively simple concept is broken down into practical steps and supported by real-life success stories. And all of this without any hint of the usual corny, rah-rah, corporate cheer-leading clichés so beloved of hard-nosed productivity experts.

I really hope, for the sake of future generations, that the methods so clearly outlined here become the new reality for the majority of workers and workplaces.

[Robert Beveridge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alexander Kjerulf, Happy Hour Is 9 to 5: How to Love Your Job, Love Your Life, and Kick Butt at Work (Lulu, 2007)

I should know better than to read books like this, being the cog in the machine that I am. While, like most tomes of this type, it's billed as being for everyone in the workplace, a lot of it is geared towards managers, of which I will never be one again. (Rule number one: never put someone whose credo is “always question authority” in a position of authority. That way lies madness.)

Still, there are some interesting concepts here, if you can get past the amateur drawings and over-reliance on the exclamation point. Kjerulf's thesis is that happy employees lead to increased productivity at work, which is pretty common-sense, unless you happen to be a manager (I guess). The book focuses on a number of ways to make your workplace a happier environment. A lot of the details, too, are common-sense, but it's refreshing to see this stuff in an actual book; it's worth looking into if you're floundering around, wondering why you hate your workplace. Maybe you can change something. It's worth a shot, no? ***

[L. Marquet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Success and happiness: we have it backward.

Traditional thinking is that if we are successful, we’ll be happy. In our organizations, leaders think that once the company has some success their people will be happy and morale will improve.

This is fundamentally backward.
Happiness comes first, and once we have happy people, the company will be successful. Once we are happy, we will be successful.

What makes us happy? Alexander Kjerulf in his book, Happy Hour is from 9 to 5 lists the following 6 things:
1. Be positive.
2. Learn.
3. Be open.
4. Participate.
5. Find meaning.
6. Love.

Kjerulf’s focus in mainly on your responsibility for your own happiness at work but as leaders we can have a big impact on the happiness of those around us. All you need to do is just order people to be happy, right? We all know that won’t work.

What can we do as an organization to invite people to happiness? Let’s look at Kjerulf’s list again.
1. Be positive. We can focus on success and what we achieve as opposed to avoiding errors. Michael Jordan said “I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot, and I missed.” If we just focused on errors, we would assess this basketball player as a failure.
2. Learn. Growth is key to happiness. Stagnation is lethal to happiness. Not only can we develop a learning culture with respect to our work, we can encourage, support, and pay for employees who want to learn new skills outside of work. Steve Jobs credited his study of calligraphy as a key part of his thinking on the design of the Mac.
3. Be open. Honesty and trust at work are critical and you have the biggest impact on this. When people feel they are constantly being judged with an eye toward documenting a case to getting fired, they won’t be honest. This hurts business. It is also bad for employees home lives. Since they can’t release the frustrations of work at work because of fear, they take them home and release the toxins there. Not good for relationships.
4. Participate. This is where I think leaders can have the greatest impact: give people control, don’t take control. this invites participation in a big way.
5. Find meaning. Whether it’s understanding your Why or establishing organizational clarity, ensure your company is first, honest about what they are trying to achieve, public about it, and practice it.
6. Love. Kjerulf’s interpretation of love is action oriented. In other words, love isn’t something you feel, it’s something you do. He gives examples of behaviors that will improve interpersonal relationships and improve the environment for love. For example, give full attention to the person you are talking with, simple and true.

And, as a bonus…happiness makes you healthier as well. Kjerulf cites a study where 21,900 nurses were monitored and the findings were that unhappiness and stress at work was as bad for your health as smoking.

Let’s work on setting the conditions for our people to be happy, and success, and profits, will follow.

[Bloggeretterized · Rating 4 out of 5]

The pursuit of happiness is a fundamental human goal. We all want to be happy in life. We all deserve to be happy. We all must do everything in our hands to achieve happiness.

Sometimes we get all caught up in life’s vicissitudes that we lose perspective, especially those in the work force. And if we are unhappy at work, we will have a hard time being happy in life in general.

Happy Hour is 9 to 5 by happiness expert Alexander Kjerulf is a wonderful tool everyone must read every once in a while. It is a tool full of invaluable lessons that I’m sure you will highlight every time you read it. It is a very positive read that will help you get back in the happy track of life.


The writing in this book is fast paced and entertaining. The information is complimented by real life case studies of companies that have been successful in achieving happiness, fun illustrations, and links to the author’s website for additional worksheets and related articles. When I first read the book, the links didn’t work, I suppose the author has updated them since the book’s publication date. Another helpful thing is that the key points are clearly marked in bulleted or numbered lists. You can’t miss them. They are very helpful for when you re-read the book.

Like I said, this book is full of important happiness lessons. For more about this check out the full review on my blog.

Happy Hour is 9 to 5 is a great resource for anyone in the workforce, regardless of ranks. Either if you’re going through a Meh! phase at work, or you are just starting a job, you are looking for one, you’ve been promoted, etc. you must read this book. It will inspire a positive attitude and will motivate you to improve your work life and be happy. Highly recommended.

For quotes and more about this book check the full review on my blog.

[Arie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing! The moment I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. It provides great tips for having a more happier work life, I love the scenarios that would apply to many of us, and ways to approach different situations at work. This is a great read for anyone, whether you are currently happy or unhappy at your current job. It also makes a great gift and a good reference book.

[Katka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspirativní čtení, ponoukající k vyhrnutí si rukávů a vykročení na cestě štěstí v práci. Knihou prolíná celá řada reálných příkladů z firem, které se pustily do vytváření šťastné firmy. Zaměstnanci jsou na prvním místě, a to výše než zákazníci. Hlavním úkolem manažera je podporovat šťastí svých zaměstnanců a kolegů, vytvořit prostředí, kde jsou platní a mohou chybovat a paradoxně dělat chyby, co nejdříve. Při čtení knihy je text někdy dost stručný a heslovitý, a asi není třeba více. Kniha se dá přečíst snadno a rychle nasadí i brouka do hlavy. Naučit se ale žít, pracovat a přistupovat k lidem podle ní musím teprve testnout. A těším se na to.
Ve vydání jsem nenašla typografické chyby, text je pěkně přeložený.

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book should be divided into two distinct parts: What To Do If You Hate You Job and, How To Be A Better Manager. Because it tries to do both at the same time it's disorganized and FAR too repetitive. That said, there are gems of wisdom in here, you can read it a couple hours, and it's worth it. I like how blunt a lot of it is: only you can control if you're happy or not, if something doesn't work try something different, quit saying "things will be better when so-an-so _____."

[Edolopez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book to encourage people be happy and pursue continuous happiness in their workplaces. Many of the comments and recommendations apply mainly for employees. I expected more conversation, examples and strategies to handle happiness from an executive standpoint: organizational crisis, incremental changes affecting people or hiring people with the right skills to develop their own happiness, just to mention a couple of elements I missed.

[Ausra · Rating 2 out of 5]

it's a lot of naive mumbo jumbo however it kind of does the job and you start believing that it's possible to be happy at work.

[Lorraine]

It's fine, I've just read much better books on happiness.

[Julie Frost · Rating 5 out of 5]

Underholdende, humoristisk og sjovt dansk/engelsk sprogbrug.

[Pete Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy Hour is 9 to 5 is a book by Alexander Kjerulf, straddling the sometimes awkward genres of self-help and business advice. There's little in the way of financial advice, with much more emphasis placed on the human side of the workplace.

The book
I don't recall the last book I read by a Scandinavian author. My background knowledge of Alexander Kjerulf was precisely nil as I started to read, though if he's like the other Scandinavians I know, he'd be telling me things that I perhaps didn't want to hear or accept as truth, make me quietly mad or in denial at something, throw the infernal book across the room, retrieve it shortly after and then do something about my situation.

Sweeping generalisations aside, and without any hint of xenophobia, I went head-first into Happy Hour as a sole trader, or Company Owner With Zero Employees. My timing for reading Happy Hour was as inconvenient as could be; having recently decided to increase the amount of work I do each day, by way of longer hours, I was intrigued how I would balance the happiness of my job with the sole trader harsh truth tenet of if I don't do it, no-one else will or — worse — if I don't help that person, some other business will.

The book is very much aimed at office, or team-based working with managers, employees and a hierarchy, whether it's loosely defined or an engrained part of the culture. What was surprising to me was the insight into other companies operated; their view from the trenches was very similar to the corporations I'd been employed by in the past: Tesco and Sophos.

The book has advice from Kjerulf, interspersed with case studies and subsequent commentary. I was a little wary at the beginning of the book that it may have been flung together without much thought at the coffee shop Kjerulf professed to be writing from. The other small fear I had was that the same chunks of advice gleaned from his years of experience might be rehashed and padded out into a book for dazzling go-getters to bray about.

I was, thankfully, wrong on both counts. There is quoted evidence, links for further reading, footnotes, and other things to back up what he's saying. The case studies are edited and presented well, without coming over as holier-than-thou or boring. Much of the book addresses the resolution of workplace problems, either explicit or implicit, with processes or people.

My only gripe, and it's minor, is a little more inline detail on some parts would have been nice. For example, Kjerulf introduced me to a new term: giraffe speak. It's a form of non-violent, compassionate communication. Having poked around on the Internet I know now more about it, but a primer in the book would've been great. It's likely that it was left out for good reason, editing or otherwise; I just don't know what reason it was.

Business books can polarise readers, just like real-life business does. There are very mixed signals all across the business literature and publishing landscape, and a modicum of sensible balance is always a good idea. On the one hand, there's this traditional notion that hard work pays off. The people that do the work, especially with smaller organisations, will see the benefit.

My business background is that of doing the work, and getting the reward for it. At the same time as working long hours, I'm wondering whether I will find my calling elsewhere. Will my creativity peak sooner, later or at all? Will I awake from slumber and have a eureka moment? Will my endless rhetorical questions ever stop? They won't, that I know for certain.

There were a few points where I got a mad with Kjerulf for saying what he said. I still read on, of course, and it's totally OK to disagree with the author of any book. The book was pretty hard to put down once I'd started it, and my conventional (traditional) business wisdom was being tested. I didn't feel like my point of view was being forcibly debated, but I listened and learned stuff. And that's what reading business books is about, reader.

I won't ever stop working hard, but I am now more conscious of working fewer hours and balancing my personal needs. Heck, I love spreadsheets more than most people, and if I can use them to back up a case to get my work done sooner and go surfing, so be it.

The bottom line
I wasn't the main target demographic for this book, and yet I picked up a bunch of things to make me rethink some of my approaches to my day. For me, every day is a work day, but I'm now more conscious that every day should also be a happy day. I'm not at that point right now, but I'm actively working on it.

Give this book two or three hours of your day, and you'll understand what I mean. Just remember that ebook devices don't take kindly to being thrown across the room very often.

[Milan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy read, quick one. I would rate it 3.5 stars.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Happy Hour is 9 to 5. The premise is one that I've believed in for many years in my business life - customer satisfaction is rooted in employee satisfaction. The theory, supported by research, states that not only will your customers be happy if your employees are happy, but that that happiness will result in a strong positive performance in results. Written in an engaging and accessible manner, Happy Hour also includes a series of exercises designed to help the reader evaluate their own happiness and motivations for positive work experiences. Kjerulf provides simple activities that the reader can use in their daily life to improve their happiness and that of their colleagues. As a leader, there are so many practical and useful examples to take advantage of in this book. Our team read it as a book club title and we have committed to making small but real changes to help increase the happiness of our work team. I highly recommend Happy Hour is 9 to 5 for managers in particular.

I particularly liked the mission statement of one of the companies described in the book:

1. We want to treat our customers in such a a way that they stay wish us and also recommend us to people who are not yet our customers.

2. We want to treat our employees in such a way that they look forward to coming to work every day, and are proud to tell others where they work.

3. We want to make enough money to fulfill the first two statements.

[Vidya Sury · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book! I believe that Happiness at work is not a pipe dream.

Happy Hour is 9 to 5 is based on the premise that you are responsible for your own happiness and that everyone can be happy at work. It is full of easy doable tips and real-life case-studies about how to make your workplace happier.

It equips you with the tools you need to make yourself love your job or find a job you love, so you can lead a better life.

Divided into 12 easy-to-read chapters, the book takes us through a definition of happiness at work, what makes one happy at work and why it matters, why happiness is good for business and employee productivity and how to do it.

There are real-life examples of how people made a difference at their workplace and transformed it into a happy working environment.

A lucid writing style that combines humor and practical ideas are the highlights of this book. Personal experiences and case studies illustrate how it is possible for everyone to be happy at work. The author offers the knowledge and tools to increase one’s energy levels along with a how-to for making an individualized plan.

If you feel that you are unhappy at work, this book is for you. You will learn to love your job or find one that you love. After all, if you are happy at work, you lead a fulfilling life outside work, too. This book shows you how to take action.

[Steve Bivans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you a business owner? a manager? an employee? Odds are you're one or more of these. If so, then you must read this book. If you aren't happy at work, or think that you're supposed to be, then you REALLY need to read it.

Kjerulf argues that Happiness IS the goal of work, but that very few of us are reaching that goal. This isn't just some hippie, huggy-wuggy book about singing Kum By Yah and patting each other on that back. Hell no! This book lays out the model for real business success. It turns out that happy employees mean higher productivity, and profits.

In other words, if your company isn't putting your employees' happiness FIRST, then you will be LEFT BEHIND and buried by the companies that do. The numbers don't lie; companies with happy employees are vastly more profitable than those with grumpy, overworked, and unhappy ones.

Read this book, or start thinking about your bankruptcy plan. It's that simple.

[Kresimir Mudrovcic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was smiling after finishing this book, it pumped me with motivation, positive energy, inspiration and optimism. Hard to explain the feeling, but it was a huuuuge mood booster. Despite the really positive impact to my mood, I am a bit sceptical whether this book would be helpgul for someone who has a crappy job and cannot afford to change it or lose it. I come from the IT industry where majority of workplaces are good and this book is actionable, but would be good to know whether it is helpful in other industries and cases.

I'd recommend this book to everyone who wants to be happier at work and pump some positive energy in their work life, but also private life. :-)

[Gavin Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happy Hour is 9 to 5 makes for some very interesting and fun easy reading. The notion that you can actually be happy at work is one we'd all like to believe, after all, the majority of your life is spent there!

Read the book, embrace Alexander's positive attitude and be inspired by his energy. Take his advice and improve your work life by becoming more motivated - this in turn will help you develop and become more successful at what you do. You'll also find that a happier work life is the key to becoming happier at home.

[Egle · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's not rocket science - but then again, we just don't think of it ourselves. The advice Alexander gives makes intuitive sense and if you stick to it, it does make a difference for your success, productivity levels and workplace satisfaction - that apparently go hand in hand. I'd recommend it to anyone who is not feeling so great about their jobs - often times changing our perspective is all we need, and Alexander does a terrific job guiding us through the process.

[Pam Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a cracker of a book to read, this is one of those books that will have an impact on your life especially aimed when you are at work, its turning your life around to make it a happier place removing all barriers between management and employees, by creating happiness in your workplace it can shape the corporate culture and take away bullying and harassment, being happy at work, your happy at home, in love, relationships, and is good for the people who are less prone to stress.

[Jeannie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably the best career book that I have ever read. I only wish I had found it sooner. This book challenges you to think about how you can take control of your work environment and make it a place where you can thrive. It gives fresh perspectives on business relationships, unemployment, and company incentive programs. I recommend it to anyone who is considering leaving a job or just feeling uninspired by their current situation.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this online and found it an excellent approach to achieving happiness at work from both the employee's and manager's perspectives. The idea that each person is responsible for his/her happiness sounds simplistic and obvious but in practice is very profound.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy read that was well worth the time. Lots of ideas and actions to help yourself (and if appropriate your team/company) on the path to being happy in your work. I made lots of notes which I think I'll be referring back to both in my current role, but also in whatever comes next.

[Mary Lou Dyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good book if you are unhappy at work. Unfortunately at the job I have, we are not allowed to do a lot of the things this author suggested. If your boss is open to these ideas, I would think you would have a very cool work environment.

[Remi van Beekum · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably the best book about having fun at work I ever read. And I think everybody who has a job should read it!
Thank you Alexander Kjerulf !

[Pallavi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read the book.. understood the importance of having a joyful work environment. Made my day!

[Lauren Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book

Great book on how to be happier at work. I would definitely recommend this y to people who are at the management level.

[Ilya Mrz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hate mindset what work should be 9-5. I think work should be life time.

I love others pieces about mindset of work in this book

[Guy Named Matt · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did you know being happy at work will result in you being happy??? Wow! Revolutionary. Skip this book as it's all completely obvious.

[Jo Stafford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book! It makes so much sense and I think I can make a lot of the things in it work.