Happiness at Work: Is it Necessary?

People have long pondered about what makes us happy; love, family, gratitude, and faith are some of the top variables that contribute to happiness (or lack thereof) throughout the lifetime. What is noticeably missing from many of the happiness lists, is work.

Work is stereotypically a source of dissatisfaction, stress, and burnout. Individuals that display excitement and satisfaction, let alone joy and happiness, with regard to their work, are considered “lucky”. As a society, it is well established that what is “normal” is for work to be a source of negative emotions rather than positive ones. After all, work is just a means to an end.

Why you should stop expecting to be happy at work

Many would argue that, in contrast to what we have come to expect, happiness and work should be unrelated (Peppercorn, 2019). Happiness is not a permanent state, but a fleeting emotion. Therefore, it is difficult to attain a continuous state of happiness in life in general, and at work in particular. Emily Esfahani Smith argues that instead of chasing happiness, one should shift their focus to identify the meaning of their work. This strategy can yield much more benefits, as meaning can be found in many places- the meaning of one’s work for their collogues, for their organization as whole, for the clients, for one’s family who can pay the mortgage or go on vacation thanks to their income, etc.

Not everyone can find their passion, and let alone turn it into a lucrative career. But conceptualizing work as a dichotomy between “my work is my passion”/ “I love my work” and “I hate my job”/”I’m stuck at this job to pay the rent” neglects to acknowledge the vast spectrum between these two extremes, where meaning and purpose, and even moments of joy, can be found.

Why organizations should care about employee happiness

While we do not recommend for individuals to pursue happiness at work, research has demonstrated that when employees are happy they are more productive (Bellet et al., 2023), more engaged (Kusumawati et al., 2024), and more innovative (Bibi et al., 2022), to name just a few positive outcomes. But how does one become happier at work without trying to become happier at work?

The answer is- it is the responsibility of the organization and its leadership to curate an environment where employees have maximal prospects for meaning and joy, and minimal likelihood of stress and burnout. Increasing the happiness of employees is not a task that should burden each individual employee; their task is to focus on their work and do it to the best of their abilities. Instead, happy employees can be found in healthy organizations, whose cultures are planned with intention by the management and leadership. In a healthy organizational culture, employees are keenly aware of the purpose and values of the organization, which gives clear meaning to the work they do. This meaning, coupled with other positive experiences such as feeling valued and respected, having opportunities for skill development and reaching personal goals, as well as camaraderie and community, all contribute to the overall happiness of employees.

Hence, the answer to our original question “happiness at work: is it necessary?”- is no. It is not necessary, and some would even argue that it is detrimental, to look for happiness at your job. Instead, looking for meaning in what you do, as well as searching to work in an organization that cares about optimizing employee happiness and well-being, will enhance your work experience and lead to long-term fulfillment.