Don’t Worry Be Happy [Infographic]

With so many negative political ads talking about doom and gloom, we thought it was high time for an attitude check. Yes, there are many things that can be improved upon, but there are plenty of things to be happy about, too. The 123Print 1st Monday Infographic for August tracks the happy data.

To start, we looked at the first ever World Happiness Report commissioned for the United Nations Conference on Happiness. The study found that the happiest countries in the world are in Northern Europe while the least happy countries are poor African countries. At first glance, money might seem to be the cause of happiness, but the combination of political freedom, social connections and little-to-no corruption carry more weight than income.

Beyond world affairs, your own personal endorphins affect how you feel. In fact, they act like opiates in the way that they create a feeling of well-being. Exercise, excitement, pain, eating spicy foods and belly laughs all produce endorphins. So the old saying is right: laughter really is the best medicine.

People are happy at work, too. In fact, careerbliss.com has a number of reports on happiness at work, the happiest companies and the happiest jobs. Check out the infographic for more details.

You can evaluate your own happiness by taking the 11-question online happiness quiz by Scientific American. Or calculate your company’s Happiness Return on Investment to see the value of employing happier employees. See the estimated cost benefits to improved productivity, healthier employees and lower turnover rates.

So, what could your business learn from all this happy talk? A happy employee is a productive employee. Yes, good compensation will have a positive affect, but other factors can really make the difference. Create a positive work environment where workers are empowered to make decisions and encouraged to make suggestions. Facilitate social connections with a comfortable break room and the occasional after-work get together. Run an ethical business where employees are proud to work. And encourage a sense of fun at work where you’re as serious about taking care of customers as you are about celebrating the successes. Your positive work environment can translate into a positive cash flow, too.

Download the 123Print Happiness-Infographic-PDF for working links and to use or share.