The average person spends about one-third of their lives at work. That is a lot of our precious time. So it would behoove us to ensure that our time at work is filled with as much happiness as possible. Not only is it good for employee morale and mental health, but it’s good for business. Happy workers tend to be higher performing and more productive. This week, we look at why happiness is the key to success in the workplace and how to build a culture that allows employees to achieve it.

11 Tips for Leaders Who Want to Encourage Positive Workplace Relationships

Many experience their personal and professional lives melding together, especially in the digital workplace of today. While forming strong bonds with coworkers is normal and natural, it is important that leaders encourage their staff to build appropriate and productive connections. Doing so results in a happier, more productive workforce. Not doing so may result in clouded judgments or favoritism. Hear from 11 members of the Newsweek Expert Forum on their best tips for leaders who want to encourage meaningful but appropriate relationships among employees.

5 Components to Achieving Happiness at Work

According to research from the University of Oxford, happy workers are around 13 percent more productive than their gloomier peers. The research also indicates that paid work has little to do with our happiness. So what does? To be truly happy, our “whole-being” must be satisfied. There are five elements of well-being that must be addressed in order to do so: spiritual, physical, intellectual, relational, and emotional. There are several things we can strive to provide in the workplace to address each element and contribute to a happier workforce.

How to Cultivate a Happier Workforce

Employees continue to manage high levels of stress and anxiety at work. Many companies are doing their best to shift to a culture of well-being as a result. But changes rarely happen overnight. For there to be a positive, motivating company culture, behavior change has to happen from the top down. Employees need to be heard, well-cared for, and have room to grow and live. Here are a few ways you can start prioritizing your employees’ happiness and create a more motivated workforce.

Happiness Officers: Does Every Workplace Need to Hire Someone to Bring the Joy?

Workers are burning out and dropping out all over the place, as seen with the Great Resignation. Since the start of the pandemic, almost a quarter of a million Brits aged between 50 and 65 have left their jobs and are not looking for new ones. If appointed, John Kewley, a candidate for managing partner at the Clifford Chance London office, has promised to create a new role of Chief Happiness Officer. “Let’s surprise, let’s delight, let’s dream. We have a generational opportunity to create the most vibrant, happy, and uplifting place to work in the world,” writes Kewley.