August 18, 2025
6 Science-Backed Ways to Raise Happiness (and Success) at Work
Office Hours with Arthur BrooksAbout this episode
Welcome back to Office Hours with Arthur Brooks. In this episode, I turn to a place where many of us spend most of our waking hours: the workplace. Whether you’re an employee, a manager, or leading an organization, happiness at work is not just a nice-to-have; it is a proven driver of productivity, loyalty, and even company performance. Drawing on research from Irrational Capital and insights from my book The Happiness Files , I share the six factors that truly make people happier at work, and explain why gimmicks and perks cannot compare. I discuss: • The most important factor that drives happiness at work • How direct, honest communication reduces fear and builds trust • The surprising impact a manager’s mood has on team morale • One of the easiest and fastest ways to boost happiness and productivity at work • How investing in learning, mentorship, and growth creates lasting engagement • Should you be making friends at work? • The leadership styles that fail employees and the two that actually inspire loyalty and performance • How much do your pay and perks directly impact your happiness? • Audience Q&A on knowing if there is a God, if your personality makes you more likely to be unhappy, and dealing with temptation We’d love to hear any feedback you have. Please email us at officehours@arthurbrooks.com . And please leave a review on Apple or Spotify. Thanks for listening! — Where to find Arthur Brooks: • Website: https://arthurbrooks.com/ • X: https://x.com/arthurbrooks • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arthurcbrooks/ • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArthurBrooks/ • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGuyFRjJQFGCKzfHTBvWM6A • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthur-c-brooks/ • Email: officehours@arthurbrooks.com — Timestamps (00:00) Intro (04:46) A no-gimmicks approach to workplace happiness (06:06) What research shows about happiness in the workplace (12:20) Six factors that drive workplace happiness (14:35) #1: Innovation: Openness to input and ideas (16:43) #2: Direct management: Clear, direct communication (20:08) #3: Organizational effectiveness: Focus on efficiency and limit meetings (23:17) #4: Engagement: Invest in employee growth (26:40) #5: Emotional connection: Fostering a culture of friendship (31:36) #6: Organizational alignment: aligning external mission with company culture (33:49) Intrinsic benefits vs. extrinsic benefits (35:20) Daniel Goleman’s 6 leadership styles (36:24) Four leadership styles to avoid (38:53) The two most effective leadership styles (40:00) A quick recap of the six factors that contribute to employee happiness the most (41:58) How do you know there is a God? (44:30) Are you predisposed to lifelong unhappiness due to your personality? (47:00) How to deal with temptation — Referenced: • Leadership and Happiness course: https://www.hbs.edu/coursecatalog/1885.html • How to Build a Life: https://www.theatlantic.com/projects/how-build-life/ • The Happiness Files: Insights on Work and Life : https://www.amazon.com/Happiness-Files-Insights-Arthur-Brooks/dp/B0F4MFQ6VN • The 8 Stupidest Management Fads of All Time: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-8-stupidest-management-fads-of-all-time/ • Does Employee Happiness Have an Impact on Productivity?: https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/10.1287/mnsc.2023.4766 • Happiness and Productivity: https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/681096 • J.P. Morgan Research: https://www.irrational.capital/jp-morgan-research • Why Meetings Are Terrible for Happiness: https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2022/11/why-meetings-are-terrible-happiness/672144/ • Dear Manager, You’re Holding Too Many Meetings: https://hbr.org/2022/03/dear-manager-youre-holding-too-many-meetings — Production and marketing by https://penname.co/ . Production provided by www.thebluewave.net . For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email jordan@penname.co