Joy Works

CHAPTER 1Why Business Leaders Should Prioritize Joy at Work

In this book, you'll read arguments for joy at work and the profound impact that joy can have on an organization. We'll cover the importance of joy for people, for an organization's broader purpose, and for making progress on major societal issues that extend beyond a company's walls. But before we dive in any further, I want to make the business case for joy at work.

Joy is your biggest business opportunity

You might be thinking, “I run a business. What does joy have to do with my work? Isn't this just a nice‐to‐have? Is joy really a serious business concern? And are leaders really responsible for employees' emotions?”

Here's my answer to that question. Don't push joy aside as a side issue. If you look deeper, you'll realize that joy is a baseline for a lot of the key elements you need to lead a successful organization. Joy is about positive teamwork. It's about stimulating belief and confidence in the collective goal and business mission. Winning impact. Successful recruiting and retention. It's about people. Isn't this what business and personal execution are all about?

Shouldn't you have a point of view on the human energy that powers your organization?

Leaders who don't understand their people or culture won't easily understand that joy is, in fact, the highest aspiration. Because creating a culture of joy at work means that people willingly give their energy to the company. They form powerful teams that make ...