Pyou Book of the Month: "Are Your Employees Happy at Work?" by Jan-Emmanuel De Neve

In an age where performance is deeply connected to purpose, happiness at work has become more than just a feel-good metric—it’s a key performance driver. As a company that values sustainability, equity, and meaningful innovation, we believe employee well-being should be embedded into strategy, not treated as a side project.

Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, one of the world’s leading scholars on well-being economics, reminds us of a simple yet overlooked truth:

happy employees don’t just stay longer—they perform better.

And when well-being is prioritized, organizations experience improved recruitment, retention, and bottom-line results.

It’s Not a Perk. It’s a Business Lever.

The research highlighted in Are Your Employees Happy at Work? draws a clear line between employee satisfaction and business success. Companies scoring high on workplace well-being report stronger productivity metrics and greater talent loyalty. For international organizations facing global competition, these aren’t just nice-to-have outcomes—they're business imperatives.

Happiness as a Systemic Strategy

Happiness at work doesn’t happen by accident. It’s cultivated through intentional actions:

• Flexible work environments that adapt to real human needs

• Supportive management that leads with empathy, not control

• Social connection as a structural priority—not an afterthought

And as AI and digital tools become more prevalent, companies must rethink not just how people work—but how they feel about the work they do.

What Can You Do Differently?

We often ask ourselves:

What’s one small change we could implement today to make our workplace more human?

Maybe it’s creating more opportunities for informal connection. Maybe it’s investing in leadership coaching. Or maybe it’s just starting the conversation about what happiness at work really means.

In any case, employee happiness is not a soft concept—it's a strategic pillar of tomorrow's organizations.

Let’s build cultures where people thrive, not just survive. Let’s measure success not only by profits, but by purpose.