In a world obsessed with productivity metrics, efficiency dashboards and climbing pay scales, it’s easy to believe that happiness lives at the top of a salary bracket. But according to Gallup’s latest findings, it may be kindness — not cash — that delivers the real return on investment.
In the March Gallup Blog, Jon Clifton and Julie Ray highlight key insights from this year’s World Happiness Report that every leader, manager and human should consider: Acts of generosity and trust in the goodwill of others are stronger predictors of happiness than income.
kAm{6E E92E D:?< :?]k^Am
kAmp 4F=EFC6 @7 <:?5?6DD A2JD @77k^Am
kAmw6C6’D D@>6E9:?8 E92E DECF4< >6i r@F?EC:6D E92E C2?< 9:896DE 😕 92AA:?6DD — E9:?< u:?=2?5[ s6?>2C<[ x46=2?5[ $H656? — 2C6 2=D@ E96 A=246D H96C6 A6@A=6 36=:6G6 E92E :7 E96J =@DE E96:C H2==6E[ D@>6@?6 H@F=5 C6EFC? :E] %92E =6G6= @7 ECFDE 😀 2 92AA:?6DD >F=E:A=:6C] p?5 :E’D ?@ DFCAC:D6 E92E E96D6 4@F?EC:6D 5@>:?2E6 E96 E@A @7 E96 92AA:?6DD C2?<:?8D J62C 27E6C J62C]k^Am
kAmr@>A2C6 E92E E@ E96 &]$][ H9:49[ 244@C5:?8 E@ v2==FA[ DE:== 92D?’E C6EFC?65 E@ E96 E@A a_ 27E6C 5C@AA:?8 @FE =2DE J62C] {:<6 @E96C (6DE6C? :?5FDEC:2= ?2E:@?D[ H6’G6 8C@H? =6DD 92AAJ E92? H6 H6C6 ;FDE `d J62CD 28@] !6C92AD :E’D 3642FD6 D@>6H96C6 2=@?8 E96 H2J[ H6 DE@AA65 36=:6G:?8 😕 6249 @E96C] ~C >2J36 H6 8@E E@@ 3FDJ 492D:?8 AC@7:ED 2?5 A6C7@C>2?46 8@2=D E@ ?@E:46 E96 7C2J65 6586D @7 @FC D@4:2= 723C:4]k^Am
kAmpE H@C<[ E9:D D9@HD FA 😕 D>2== 3FE :>A@CE2?E H2JDi w@H BF:4<=J H6 C6EFC? 2 4@==628F6’D >6DD286[ H96E96C H6 E2<6 2 >@>6?E E@ =:DE6? :?DE625 @7 CFD9:?8 E@ 2 D@=FE:@? @C 9@H H6 C6DA@?5 H96? D@>6@?6’D DECF88=:?8] %96D6 52:=J 49@:46D 255 FA] {6256CD H9@ 7@DE6C 4F=EFC6D @7 ECFDE 2?5 86?6C@D:EJ 5@?’E ;FDE 86E 36EE6C >@C2=6 — E96J 3F:=5 C6D:=:6?E[ 6?82865 E62>D E92E E9C:G6 F?56C AC6DDFC6]k^Am
kAmz:?5?6DD 😀 AC24E:42= 2?5 64@?@>:42=k^Am
kAm%9:D 6>A92D:D @? <:?5?6DD 2?5 86?6C@D:EJ 2=:8?D H:E9 >J @H? A6CD@?2= 2?5 AC@76DD:@?2= A9:=@D@A9J] x 36=:6G6 😕 DE2J:?8 E9@F89E7F= 2?5 5@H?\E@\62CE9[ 8C@F?565 😕 3@E9 AC24E:42= C62=:E:6D 2?5 9F>2? ECFE9D] pD 2? w# AC@76DD:@?2= H9@ @H?D 2 3FD:?6DD[ x’G6 D66? 7:CDE92?5 9@H 24ED @7 36?6G@=6?46 — 9@H6G6C D>2== — 42? DEC6?8E96? E62>D[ 3@@DE >@C2=6 2?5 4C62E6 2 962=E9:6C 4F=EFC6]k^Am
kAmp?5 96C6’D E96 <:4<6Ci z:?5?6DD 😀 =@H\3F586E] v6?6C@D:EJ 5@6D?’E C6BF:C6 2 3:8 :?G6DE>6?E[ 3FE E96 A2J@77 😀 C62=] p44@C5:?8 E@ v2==FA’D C6D62C49[ E96D6 3692G:@CD 2C6 E:65 E@ 9:896C ;@3 D2E:D724E:@?[ 36EE6C H6==\36:?8 2?5 DEC@?86C 4@??64E:@?D — @FE4@>6D 6G6CJ 6>A=@J6C H2?ED]k^Am
kAmt>A=@J66D — @FC 9F>2? 42A:E2= — 2C6 @7E6? @FC 8C62E6DE 6IA6?D6] qFE E96J 42? 2=D@ 36 @FC 8C62E6DE 2DD6E] %96 H2J H6 EC62E A6@A=6 6G6CJ 52J 56E6C>:?6D H96E96C E96J @A6C2E6 2E E96:C 36DE[ @C H96E96C E96J’C6 ;FDE 8@:?8 E9C@F89 E96 >@E:@?D] r9@@D6 <:?5?6DD 2?5 J@F’C6 =:<6=J E@ D66 2 C6EFC? 72C 36J@?5 E96 3@EE@> =:?6]k^Am
kAm%96 “%9C66 rD” @7 8:G:?8k^Am
kAm%96 (@C=5 w2AA:?6DD #6A@CE @FE=:?6D E9C66 :?8C65:6?ED E92E >2I:>:K6 E96 H6==\36:?8 :>A24E @7 86?6C@D:EJi r2C:?8 4@??64E:@?D[ 49@:46 2?5 2 4=62C A@D:E:G6 :>A24E]k^Am
Heidi Shadel is a Cumberland, Md., business owner and graduate of Frostburg State University with a master’s degree in business administration. Connect with her on LinkedIn or email her at [email protected].
link