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Unlocking Happiness at Work: How a Data-driven Happiness Strategy Fuels Purpose, Passion and Performance
Unlocking Happiness at Work takes you on a journey into why and how leaders should become compassionate capitalists and ensure that their teams thrive. This book debunks the myth that happiness at work is a waste of time and demonstrates how it can deliver a more productive and engaged workforce, which can have real impact on the bottom line. Based on two decades of scientific research, real-time data, interviews and case studies, this book proves that happiness fuels higher performance, provides a greater sense of purpose and spreads passion throughout organizations.
With insightful practical guidance throughout, Unlocking Happiness at Work is a lively and persuasive exploration of how to be happier and make others happier through the power of habits, emotional intelligence and an innovative approach to work/life flow. Case studies from lululemon, Zappos, Misfit Inc, The Body Shop and more are supported by tangible data and key performance indicators that show the significant benefits that come from adopting a happiness strategy.
This is an essential resource for leaders who want to increase sustainability, attract new talent, improve their brand and boost profitability - in a way that is life-enhancing for them and their people.
227 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 3, 2016
19 people are currently reading
187 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 29, 2018
Unlocking Happiness at Work: How a Data-driven Happiness Strategy Fuels Purpose, Passion and Performance by Jennifer Moss and Shawn Achor
“Unlocking Happiness at Work” is an average book that focuses on how organizations can maximize success without sacrificing meaning. Authors Jennifer Moss and Shawn Achor takes the reader on a journey where data-driven reality can drive happiness at work. This useful 227-page book includes the following ten chapters: 1. The happiness/brain science connection, 2. The history of happiness, 3. The power of habit, 4. Emotional intelligence and leadership, 5. Conscious capitalism, 6. The happiness disruptors, 7. Engaging the whole person, 8. A happier approach to change, 9. Want to be a global company? Be a global citizen, and 10. The future of happiness.
Positives:
1. Generally well-written and well-researched book.
2. An interesting topic, how to unlock happiness at the work place and all parties benefit from it.
3. The authors have mastery of the topic.
4. Solid format. The end of each chapter the authors provide activities that be used in the workplace.
5. The introduction defines the key term behind this book, happiness. “It’s intangible. It can’t be attained or achieved. You don’t chase it. It’s sequential. It comes after you work on building up traits like hope, efficacy, resilience, optimism, gratitude and empathy.”
6. Throughout the book the authors make references to books/publications with topic-appropriate findings. “A study published in the Asia-Pacific Journal of Health Management (Oommen et al, 2008) found that employees face a multitude of problems such as the loss of privacy, loss of identity, low work productivity, various health issues, overstimulation and low job satisfaction when working in an open plan work environment.”
7. Makes good use of current scientific knowledge. “Neuroplasticity refers to our brains’ ability to be malleable or ‘plastic’ so that our experiences can change both the brain’s physical structure (anatomy) and functional organization (physiology).”
8. Find out what’s the number one killer of engagement in the workplace.
9. Helpful book for leaders and employees alike. “Finding challenging and meaningful projects are mandatory to keep anyone engaged. It may seem tactically difficult, but by allowing every employee some percentage of their time to invest in passion projects of their choice you will notice a massive return on involvement.”
10. Interesting nuggets of knowledge throughout the book. “Creating healthy friendships and positive relationships is one of the most effective ways to increase talent retention, according to a wide range of research on the topic.”
11. A look at interesting milestones in the evolution of happiness at the workplace. A good use of well-known personalities through history to illustrate such points.
12. The PERMA model explained. “Positive emotions, engagement, positive relationships, meaning, and accomplishments.”
13. The power of habit and why it matters to leaders. The three “Rs’ of habit change (Reminder, Routine, and Reward).
14. Understanding emotional intelligence. “‘Emotional Intelligence involves the ability to perceive accurately, appraise, and express emotion… to generate feelings when they facilitate thought… to understand emotion and emotional knowledge; and… regulate emotions to promote emotional and intellectual growth’ (Mayer and Salovey, 1997).” “Surprisingly (or perhaps not surprisingly to some), the answer is the US Navy. Their evaluation and practice of emotional intelligence dates all the way back to World War II.”
15. Conscious capitalism. Many good examples. “Eight years ago, Raj co-founded Conscious Capitalism Inc. The organization defines the term as such: ‘Conscious Capitalism is a philosophy based on the belief that a more complex form of capitalism is emerging that holds the potential for enhancing corporate performance while simultaneously continuing to advance the quality of life for billions of people.’”
16. Provocative quotes. “‘Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future.”
17. Describes common mistakes we make when we take on new strategies, tools and tactics. “Decreased creativity: Since most tasks are automated by technology it can stifle creative ways to problem solve or think innovatively about our work.”
18. Describes how work and happiness in the workplace may be quite different for men and women, parents and non-parents and Millennials, Generation Xers and baby boomers. “The Millennial employee is interested in feedback on his or her performance. But traditional semi-annual reviews are too infrequent. They want to know that they’ve done a good job, and they want to know now. Not only are the timing and frequency important, but so too is the way in which feedback is framed and delivered.”
19. The importance of authenticity. “I never want to ask anyone to be happy if they don’t want to be.”
20. How to behave as global citizens. “According to millions of responses we receive at Plasticity Labs about what inspires people at work, we’re learned that purpose is key to mobilizing engagement. The most successful companies know how to infuse their purpose in all that they do and proliferate that meaning across their organizations.” “Google now describes psychological safety as the most important factor to building a successful team.”
21. The future of happiness.
22. Formal references included.
Negatives:
1. Comes across as desperately selling a product.
2. Neuroscience is in its infancy and some of the findings are tepid at best. Be that as it may, give the authors credit for trying to make use of our current best knowledge to drive the discussion.
3. Better editor. A paragraph was repeated.
4. The book isn’t as much fun to read as it should have been.
In summary, I found this book to be at times tedious and a bit too self congratulatory but ultimately its useful and the authors may be on to something. This is an area where science may still be in its infancy so I take these findings to be in flux but I do appreciate the authors’ drive and curiosity to allow the best of science to drive the discussion. Useful and well intended, worth reading.
Further recommendations: “Before Happiness” and “The Happiness Advantage” by Shawn Achor, “The Future of Happiness” by Amy Blankson, “Positivity” by Barbara Frederickson, “Flourish” by Martin P. Seligman, “Contagious” by Jonah Berger, “Outliers” by Malcolm Gladwell, “Lean In” by Sheryl Sandberg, “The Power of Habit” by Charles Duhigg, “Decisive” by Chip and Dan Heath, “Drive” by Daniel H. Pink, and “Rebounders” by Rick Newman.
“Unlocking Happiness at Work” is an average book that focuses on how organizations can maximize success without sacrificing meaning. Authors Jennifer Moss and Shawn Achor takes the reader on a journey where data-driven reality can drive happiness at work. This useful 227-page book includes the following ten chapters: 1. The happiness/brain science connection, 2. The history of happiness, 3. The power of habit, 4. Emotional intelligence and leadership, 5. Conscious capitalism, 6. The happiness disruptors, 7. Engaging the whole person, 8. A happier approach to change, 9. Want to be a global company? Be a global citizen, and 10. The future of happiness.
Positives:
1. Generally well-written and well-researched book.
2. An interesting topic, how to unlock happiness at the work place and all parties benefit from it.
3. The authors have mastery of the topic.
4. Solid format. The end of each chapter the authors provide activities that be used in the workplace.
5. The introduction defines the key term behind this book, happiness. “It’s intangible. It can’t be attained or achieved. You don’t chase it. It’s sequential. It comes after you work on building up traits like hope, efficacy, resilience, optimism, gratitude and empathy.”
6. Throughout the book the authors make references to books/publications with topic-appropriate findings. “A study published in the Asia-Pacific Journal of Health Management (Oommen et al, 2008) found that employees face a multitude of problems such as the loss of privacy, loss of identity, low work productivity, various health issues, overstimulation and low job satisfaction when working in an open plan work environment.”
7. Makes good use of current scientific knowledge. “Neuroplasticity refers to our brains’ ability to be malleable or ‘plastic’ so that our experiences can change both the brain’s physical structure (anatomy) and functional organization (physiology).”
8. Find out what’s the number one killer of engagement in the workplace.
9. Helpful book for leaders and employees alike. “Finding challenging and meaningful projects are mandatory to keep anyone engaged. It may seem tactically difficult, but by allowing every employee some percentage of their time to invest in passion projects of their choice you will notice a massive return on involvement.”
10. Interesting nuggets of knowledge throughout the book. “Creating healthy friendships and positive relationships is one of the most effective ways to increase talent retention, according to a wide range of research on the topic.”
11. A look at interesting milestones in the evolution of happiness at the workplace. A good use of well-known personalities through history to illustrate such points.
12. The PERMA model explained. “Positive emotions, engagement, positive relationships, meaning, and accomplishments.”
13. The power of habit and why it matters to leaders. The three “Rs’ of habit change (Reminder, Routine, and Reward).
14. Understanding emotional intelligence. “‘Emotional Intelligence involves the ability to perceive accurately, appraise, and express emotion… to generate feelings when they facilitate thought… to understand emotion and emotional knowledge; and… regulate emotions to promote emotional and intellectual growth’ (Mayer and Salovey, 1997).” “Surprisingly (or perhaps not surprisingly to some), the answer is the US Navy. Their evaluation and practice of emotional intelligence dates all the way back to World War II.”
15. Conscious capitalism. Many good examples. “Eight years ago, Raj co-founded Conscious Capitalism Inc. The organization defines the term as such: ‘Conscious Capitalism is a philosophy based on the belief that a more complex form of capitalism is emerging that holds the potential for enhancing corporate performance while simultaneously continuing to advance the quality of life for billions of people.’”
16. Provocative quotes. “‘Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future.”
17. Describes common mistakes we make when we take on new strategies, tools and tactics. “Decreased creativity: Since most tasks are automated by technology it can stifle creative ways to problem solve or think innovatively about our work.”
18. Describes how work and happiness in the workplace may be quite different for men and women, parents and non-parents and Millennials, Generation Xers and baby boomers. “The Millennial employee is interested in feedback on his or her performance. But traditional semi-annual reviews are too infrequent. They want to know that they’ve done a good job, and they want to know now. Not only are the timing and frequency important, but so too is the way in which feedback is framed and delivered.”
19. The importance of authenticity. “I never want to ask anyone to be happy if they don’t want to be.”
20. How to behave as global citizens. “According to millions of responses we receive at Plasticity Labs about what inspires people at work, we’re learned that purpose is key to mobilizing engagement. The most successful companies know how to infuse their purpose in all that they do and proliferate that meaning across their organizations.” “Google now describes psychological safety as the most important factor to building a successful team.”
21. The future of happiness.
22. Formal references included.
Negatives:
1. Comes across as desperately selling a product.
2. Neuroscience is in its infancy and some of the findings are tepid at best. Be that as it may, give the authors credit for trying to make use of our current best knowledge to drive the discussion.
3. Better editor. A paragraph was repeated.
4. The book isn’t as much fun to read as it should have been.
In summary, I found this book to be at times tedious and a bit too self congratulatory but ultimately its useful and the authors may be on to something. This is an area where science may still be in its infancy so I take these findings to be in flux but I do appreciate the authors’ drive and curiosity to allow the best of science to drive the discussion. Useful and well intended, worth reading.
Further recommendations: “Before Happiness” and “The Happiness Advantage” by Shawn Achor, “The Future of Happiness” by Amy Blankson, “Positivity” by Barbara Frederickson, “Flourish” by Martin P. Seligman, “Contagious” by Jonah Berger, “Outliers” by Malcolm Gladwell, “Lean In” by Sheryl Sandberg, “The Power of Habit” by Charles Duhigg, “Decisive” by Chip and Dan Heath, “Drive” by Daniel H. Pink, and “Rebounders” by Rick Newman.
October 16, 2021
Independientemente del contenido, que está respaldado por fuentes académicas e investigaciones científicas, tanto en volumen como en calidad, me parece que el gran valor que aporta se encuentra en mostrar este tema e integrar datos y evidencias sin deformar con opiniones sin fundamento y retórica vacía.
Libro recomendado para cualquier adulto que trabaje y sobre todo para lideres de todo tipo.
Puede que muchos investigadores o estudiosos del tema, venidos de otras áreas de estudio o ciencias especializadas, puedan (podamos) no estar completamente de acuerdo en el estilo editorial, algunas de las conclusiones o la dirección de la investigación, pero no se puede negar que J. Moss hace un trabajo brillante y de importancia.
Libro recomendado para cualquier adulto que trabaje y sobre todo para lideres de todo tipo.
Puede que muchos investigadores o estudiosos del tema, venidos de otras áreas de estudio o ciencias especializadas, puedan (podamos) no estar completamente de acuerdo en el estilo editorial, algunas de las conclusiones o la dirección de la investigación, pero no se puede negar que J. Moss hace un trabajo brillante y de importancia.
October 2, 2024
This book functioned as an amalgamation of other studies and same-genre books, without exploring its main thesis. I couldn’t finish it as was tired of re-reading books I’ve finished or reading summaries of those I’m not interested in.
January 2, 2017
Did not finish. All of the shameless self-promotion was too much for my patience. I like reading books that intrigue me, not try desperately to sell me on an idea and convince me that the author's company is a favourable candidate for helping me to achieve that idea in my business.
February 28, 2018
Great review of the research on happiness and how it can transform work performance. Effectively draws from many disciplines to create a good picture, especially for business managers/owners. Other reviewers have mentioned the self-promotion throughout the book. Yes, it’s there, but don’t let it detract from the valuable content of the book. (And, let’s be real, most authors in this realm are selling something - whether it’s speaking engagements, additional training, or some other product.)
September 2, 2017
Painful read. The author is promoting a product with little research foundation. Cherry picking facts and stories.
April 5, 2021
Liked the central thesis but the first half of the book was far more thought provoking and practical than the back and the back had not aged well with covid.
March 31, 2022
Generally useful. Some of the recommendations have been overtaken by the pandemic. And it needed a better proof reader.
January 2, 2017
Did not finish. All of the shameless self-promotion was too much for my patience. I like reading books that intrigue me, not try desperately to sell me on an idea and convince me that the author's company is a favourable candidate for helping me to achieve that idea in my business.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews