Why Workplace Wellbeing Matters: The Science Behind Employee Happiness and Organizational Performance

by Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, George Ward

Genres: Leadership, Psychology, Business

304 pages, Hardcover

Published March 25, 2025

About the author

Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, is a Belgian economist and professor at the University of Oxford. He is best known for his research on the economics of happiness which has led to new insights into the relationship between happiness and income, productivity, economic growth, and inequality. His research was selected among "The Management Ideas that Mattered Most in 2016" by Harvard Business Review and he was awarded the Ruut Veenhoven Award in 2015 for his contributions to the scientific study of happiness.

De Neve is an associate editor of the World Happiness Report and a member of the Global Happiness Council and chairs its workplace wellbeing committee.

Reviews

[Steve Granger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why Workplace Wellbeing Matters is an important book for thinking clearly and wisely about workplace wellbeing. De Neve and Ward laudably distill this complex issue into practical, evidence-based insights for promoting human sustainability and flourishing at work.

[Greg Hawod · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very compelling, scientific, and informative book on the subject of workplace wellbeing. It provides lots of data in a form of graphs to illustrate its points. Practically, managers can get insights from the graphs in the book if they want to present something about employee satisfaction and how it affects the bottom line.

The book sounds academic which makes it different from books leaning towards general readers. Managers will greatly benefit from this evidence based approach.

[Kevin Dufresne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hi,

I hope all is progressing well.

Why Workplace Wellbeing Matters: The Science Behind Employee Happiness and Organizational Performance by Dr. Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, PhD, and Dr. George Ward, PhD, defines and explores well-being at work through research about parameters of being at work in connection with parameters of business. Engaging my interests in healthful progressions of life as well as of being a more mindful romantic/life partner, I decide to buy then read the text to further broaden and deepen my healthfully progressing understanding of healthfully progressing parameters of life. As a reasonable individual with a constantly improving-mindful awareness and equilibrium, I acknowledge work as well as work environment differently, regarding both circumstantially as well as potentially. The text is attempting to ground well-being with parameters of business to address work systemically for future research and developments beyond academic progressions so as to be more efficacious of more good of well-being at work in connection with business parameters, objectively.

The scope of which the text engages is valuable, especially considering individuals engage with parameters of business throughout life, majorly due to how business integrates systemically, between cultures interdependently, in modernity. Yet, I don't believe the engaging of parameters of business needs to effect individuals within life personally (i.e., employment doesn't effect how I feel though one may argue this being so is due to my generally calm-happy-healthful-reasonable disposition, to say the least, of which I may respond to regarding how one has much control over one's life) (though I am mindful of how individuals may varyingly be engaging with parameters of life). Contexts of the sort of which the book examines may find further support through systemic implementations of research and development which may greatly embolden any entity/society willing to implement the necessary efforts considering good long-term growth potentials (especially regarding competitive business atmospheres at scale). Even with these considerable directions, I think a good easy area to begin with regarding wellbeing at work is through regarding improving organizational emotional intelligence, especially as a connecting point to implementing wonderful systemic possibilities.

Onward and Upward,
Kevin Dufresne
www.Piatures.com
IG: @Dufreshest

[Jitendra Vishen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wellbeing comes from one place, and one place only — a positive culture.

As per this book, Workplace wellbeing has three components - Evaluative, Affective and eudaimonic. which makes you think about questions like - what do you think about your job ? is the work enjoyable everyday ? what is the sense of purpose you get our of your work ?

A workplace where people care for each other by being interested in each other and maintain responsibility for colleagues as friends amplifies their creativity and ability to think creatively. it also provides buffer against negative events like stress and improves employees ability to bounce back from challenges and difficulties. it also make the employees loyal and brings best out of them.

Although there’s an assumption that stress and pressure push employees to perform more, better, and faster, what such cutthroat organizations fail to recognize is the hidden costs incurred like - stress related health issues, unloyal employees and While a cut-throat environment and a culture of fear can ensure engagement for some time but the inevitable stress it creates will likely lead to disengagement over the long term.

In summary, a positive workplace is more successful over time because it increases positive emotions and well-being. This, in turn, improves people’s relationships with each other and amplifies their abilities and their creativity. It buffers against negative experiences such as stress, thus improving employees’ ability to bounce back from challenges and difficulties while bolstering their health

This is a really nice book to understand and address workplace stress. it might help to make a stress free personal life as well.

[Darya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a compelling, research-backed exploration of workplace happiness and its direct impact on productivity, talent retention, and organizational success. Drawing from the world’s largest dataset on employee wellbeing—collected in collaboration with Indeed—the authors offer a data-driven perspective on why workplace wellbeing is not just a "nice-to-have" but a critical factor in modern business performance.

The book stands out for its rigorous yet accessible analysis of what workplace wellbeing truly means, cutting through common myths and misconceptions. De Neve and Ward expertly break down how our experiences at work influence both our professional and personal lives, demonstrating that workplace wellbeing is shaped by both how we think about our jobs and how we feel while performing them.

One of the book’s strengths is its ability to balance academic insight with practical application. It not only presents empirical findings but also offers actionable strategies for businesses to enhance employee experience. Leaders, HR professionals, and policymakers will find valuable takeaways on fostering a work environment that supports happiness, engagement, and long-term success.

By integrating research from economics, psychology, and management, Why Workplace Wellbeing Matters provides a fresh and authoritative perspective on a topic that is more relevant than ever. This book is an essential read for anyone looking to understand the future of work and how organizations can thrive by prioritizing employee wellbeing.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want to know about the studies about workplace well-being, then this is the book for you. There is a deep dive and review into actual studies about the workplace and what contributes to postiv well-being. I would think that if someone were to write a book about how to cultivate workplace wellbeing, that this book would be the one that was referenced again and again to support different strategies and workplace priorities. I was expecting more of a 'how to increase workplace well-being' book ,and the is more 'what are the components that contribute to workplace well-being.' It's a strong review of current research.

Thanks to the publisher for sharing a copy with me. All opinions are my own.

[Maude · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very interesting book! It's more on the academic side, so the writing might seem a bit dry if you were expecting something like popular self-help books, but I especially appreciated the data in every chapter and supporting each and every argument. Would definitely recommend this to my workplace's library.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free Advance Reader Copy.

[Darcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book helped reinforce for me that wellness is a systemic responsibility, not an individual one when it comes to “corporate wellness”. Lunch time yoga classes are not gonna cut it.