ALT-1 Why Happiness at Work is more Important than Money
Happiness at work is more important than money when you consider that most of your life is spent at work. The stress and resulting health problems that derive from being miserable at work are simply not worth any amount of money. The rest of your life and relationships are negatively affected when you are not happy with your work.
Comparing the worth of money over well-being is perhaps opening a door to the ultimate criticism of our society. Have we sold our souls? Think of all the crimes committed by unhappy people stuck in jobs that do not suit them, or that tempt them to be greedy, thoughtless people. Most hurtful actions are done by unhappy people. These negative minds cannot function well over time. The company would suffer.
To the contrary, happy workers are more productive, more community conscious, and healthier. There is less absenteeism, and whatever the job, the work flows more smoothly. This benefits both the employee and the employer. The good vibrations radiate outward into the community, enhancing lives and the image of the firm. A happy workplace will outlast a sweatshop any day.
That money cannot buy happiness is an old proverb, well-repeated. The worth of feeling good about yourself and your work has been proven. Happiness is known to lengthen lives, increase creativity and problem-solving, guarantee motivation and better quality of work. Anyone who has made a mistake in choosing a job just for the money knows that it takes a toll. Our happiness at work is one of the greatest measures of well-being.
When a worker is happy, his or her family benefits as well. There is more energy, the kind that increases, for the rest of the day and weekends. Psychology has many studies of how invigorating a positive experience can be, and of how repetitive negatives are energy-sapping. Depressed workers will sabotage both themselves and the productivity of others.
People may think that money will cure all ills, and that they would do anything for more money. Yet, if they cannot enjoy themselves and are too stressed or exhausted from work, all that money is not worth a penny. We must make a balance between the effort put forth and the rewards. It is a rare worker that can keep going back for another lousy day-after-day without thinking of the value of their happiness over any amount of money. Hopefully, we can find meaningful and rewarding work, and be smart enough to keep searching for a job that delivers both a decent wage and the joy of a perfect, happy place.
