Welcome back to Office Hours with Arthur Brooks. In this episode, I turn to a place where many of us spend most of our waking hours: the workplace. Whether you’re an employee, a manager, or leading an organization, happiness at work is not just a nice-to-have; it is a proven driver of productivity, loyalty, and even company performance.Drawing on research from Irrational Capital and insights from my book The Happiness Files, I share the six factors that truly make people happier at work, and explain why gimmicks and perks cannot compare.I discuss: • The most important factor that drives happiness at work• How direct, honest communication reduces fear and builds trust• The surprising impact a manager’s mood has on team morale• One of the easiest and fastest ways to boost happiness and productivity at work• How investing in learning, mentorship, and growth creates lasting engagement• Should you be making friends at work?• The leadership styles that fail employees and the two that actually inspire loyalty and performance• How much do your pay and perks directly impact your happiness? • Audience Q&A on knowing if there is a God, if your personality makes you more likely to be unhappy, and dealing with temptationWe’d love to hear any feedback you have. Please email us at
[email protected]. And please leave a review on Apple or Spotify. Thanks for listening! —Where to find Arthur Brooks: • Website: https://arthurbrooks.com/• X: https://x.com/arthurbrooks• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arthurcbrooks/• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArthurBrooks/• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGuyFRjJQFGCKzfHTBvWM6A• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthur-c-brooks/• Email:
[email protected]—Timestamps(00:00) Intro(04:46) A no-gimmicks approach to workplace happiness(06:06) What research shows about happiness in the workplace(12:20) Six factors that drive workplace happiness(14:35) #1: Innovation: Openness to input and ideas (16:43) #2: Direct management: Clear, direct communication (20:08) #3: Organizational effectiveness: Focus on efficiency and limit meetings(23:17) #4: Engagement: Invest in employee growth (26:40) #5: Emotional connection: Fostering a culture of friendship (31:36) #6: Organizational alignment: aligning external mission with company culture(33:49) Intrinsic benefits vs. extrinsic benefits (35:20) Daniel Goleman’s 6 leadership styles (36:24) Four leadership styles to avoid(38:53) The two most effective leadership styles(40:00) A quick recap of the six factors that contribute to employee happiness the most(41:58) How do you know there is a God? (44:30) Are you predisposed to lifelong unhappiness due to your personality?(47:00) How to deal with temptation —Referenced:• Leadership and Happiness course: https://www.hbs.edu/coursecatalog/1885.html• How to Build a Life: https://www.theatlantic.com/projects/how-build-life/• The Happiness Files: Insights on Work and Life: https://www.amazon.com/Happiness-Files-Insights-Arthur-Brooks/dp/B0F4MFQ6VN• The 8 Stupidest Management Fads of All Time: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-8-stupidest-management-fads-of-all-time/• Does Employee Happiness Have an Impact on Productivity?: https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/10.1287/mnsc.2023.4766• Happiness and Productivity: https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/681096• J.P. Morgan Research: https://www.irrational.capital/jp-morgan-research• Why Meetings Are Terrible for Happiness: https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2022/11/why-meetings-are-terrible-happiness/672144/• Dear Manager, You’re Holding Too Many Meetings: https://hbr.org/2022/03/dear-manager-youre-holding-too-many-meetings—Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. Production provided by www.thebluewave.net. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email
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