A key difference between the most recent recession and those that went before is that it was the first where people stopped to consider the psychological effects of events on workplace wellbeing. This is more important than ever as evidence emerges to connect wellbeing to productivity and success. But how well these concepts are understood is a moot point.
Here, Director contributor Professor Cary Cooper and his colleague Ivan Robertson draw together research covering the area where wellbeing, workplace happiness and productivity interact. While it seems self-evident that happier employees work harder, such observations often lack robust back-up. But Robertson and Cooper delve beneath these bland statements to discover the reasons why employees in a positive state psychologically perform better.
Until business leaders see evidence that wellbeing brings business benefits, they are unlikely to invest in it. While this exploration of the subject covers so much ground it serves as a full-blown occupational psychology textbook, there is also plenty for managers and business leaders interested in the welfare of employees.
