This document discusses happiness at work and evidence-based interventions to increase happiness. It defines happiness at work and lists reasons why happy employees are beneficial for organizations. Research shows the top factors that make people happy at work are friendly colleagues, enjoyable work, a good boss, work-life balance, and varied work. The document discusses different happiness interventions that are evidence-based, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, physical activity, optimism, gratitude, and mindfulness. More research is still needed but interventions like HeartMath that target the emotional brain directly may be more effective than those only targeting the neocortex.

1. November 5th, 2008 [email_address] Evidence Based Interventions

2. Introduction Onno Hamburger, happiness coach Psychologist, senior trainer and happiness coach at Van Harte & Lingsma Developer of Happiness@work trainingprograms, coaching & workshops Founding father of www.geluk.startpagina.nl , & the weblog about happiness in the workplace www.gelukkigwerken.nl

3. Introduction Hein Zegers, happiness researcher University of Leuven Belgium ENPP Representative Researcher on evidence based happiness interventions www.evidencebasedhappiness.com , Researcher on employee well-being at www.iswlimits.be Worldwide qualitative researcher on happiness

4. What is happiness@work?

5. Meaning Satisfaction Pleasure HAPPINESS @work

6. Why Happiness@Work?

7. Happy employees are: More productive More creative & innovative More flexible & open to change More involved & loyal Healthier (less on sick leave) More profitable

8. What makes people happy in their job?

9. Factors people say makes them happier at the workplace In rank order of importance: Friendly, supportive colleagues Enjoyable work Good boss or line manager Good balance Work/Life Varied work Belief that they’re doing something worthwile Research by Chiumento, January 2007

10. What is happiness determined by? Sonja Lyubomirsky

11. How can we influence those 40%? Science:

12. The science of Happiness@work Descriptive vs. Experimental research:

13. Experimental Happiness Research Happiness interventions:

14. A new world We know there’s a lot we don’t know

15. What we do know: Evidence Based Interventions RET/ CBT/… Physical movement Strengthen optimism Gratitude Random Acts of kindness Forgiveness Developing & using strengths Flow/ goal setting Mission/ Vision/Visualisations Mindfulness Heart Math

16. What do we need? More …… & and more …

17. Mindhabits Filmpje Paul Potts

18. Filmpje Paul Potts

19. Filmpje Paul Potts

20. Filmpje Paul Potts

21. “ Reduce cortisol (stress hormone) levels by 17 percent in people who played the game five minutes a day. ” October 2007, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

23. How do you get happier? Positive thinking / Realistic thinking Neo-cortex Emotional Brain Brainstem

24. Few neural pathways from the outer to the inner layers This makes cognitive psychological interventions less effective Source: Ledoux (2003).

25. Many neural pathways from the inner to the outer layers

26. Direct influence emotional brain & brainstem Neocortex Emotional brain Positive feeling Brainstem Adapt way of breathing Source: www.heartmath.org

27. HeartMath

28. Coherence is not correlated to heart rate

29. Summary Happiness@work is important for both employees and organizations Happiness@work is common sense but not common practice Different happiness@work interventions are available (see also hand-out) More research and open mindedness is needed

30. Sources www.h-l.nl/happiness www.gelukkigwerken.nl www.thoughtsonhappiness.nl www.positivesharing.com www.greatplacetowork.com www.heartmathbenelux.com Randstad research into happiness@work: onderzoek geluk What is cortisol? Backgrounds Cortisol Employee Satisfaction is not enough