Role of Happiness Campaign

Running head: HAPPINESS CAMPAIGN
Happiness Campaign
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

1HAPPINESS CAMPAIGN
Introduction
In order to understand the extent to which happiness campaign can increase the job
satisfaction and retention of the Employees, it is first necessary to understand the concept of
happiness. People have different definitions of happiness and there is much more ambiguity
about the methods to measure happiness. According to Spicer and Cederstrom (2015),
happiness is an abstract concept and thus, do not have any specific value that can be
measured. For some, happiness might be a meditative calm and feeling content with life
while for others it could be exhilaration and excitement. There are no true definition of
happiness as it is predominantly a feeling and thus, happiness campaigns however effective
cannot bring quantitative results that can be used to determine measurable impact (Seppala &
Cameron, 2015). This paper will present the ineffectiveness of happiness campaigns in order
to increase employee engagement and retention.
Thesis statement: This essay argues that happiness campaigns could become the key to
employee engagement and retention.
Discussion and analysis
Happiness campaign and employee performance
The topic addressed in this paragraph is role of happiness on job satisfaction and how
that might lead to employee performance (Pogosyan, 2016). The general consensus about the
relationship between happiness and organizational productivity has been positive. It means
that most of people believe that increase in happiness can increase performance. Though
there are many researches and studies that show that happiness does not necessarily lead to
increase in organizational performance. Rather researches have consistently shown negative

2HAPPINESS CAMPAIGN
correlation between happiness and productivity. Surveys show that higher level of
dissatisfaction among the employees lead to higher performance as dissatisfied employees are
likely to work more (Seppala & Cameron, 2015). Though there are contradictory views on
the issues, most of the opinions support the negative correlation. Thus, employing a
happiness campaign should not focus on increasing productivity but on a philanthropic view
for employees. Thus, organizations should focus on increasing the overall wellness and
stability of the employees as these can lead to the measurable indicators for employee
engagement (Gruber et al., 2016).
Happiness Campaign and success
Happiness campaigns cannot change people’s view about success. According to
Mauss et al., (2011), success is not indicative of happiness. The idea of success too is
subjective and varies greatly according to culture. A research conducted by Pogosyan (2016)
states that the collectivist culture does not give much importance to individual success while
the individualistic culture is all about pursuit of happiness through personal achievements.
Happiness campaigns are designed as a whole and thus do not take these cultural aspects into
account (Gruber et al., 2016). Happiness and success are interrelated in a reverse manner as
increased happiness of the employees are likely to improve their social relationships and
sense of self. Their standard for success increases and becomes much difficult to grasp.
Conscious effort to happiness reduces the effect
In the opinion of Pogosyan (2016), happiness is also based on the pressure that one
puts upon them and their personal beliefs and standards of happiness. Research by Mauss et
al. (2011) has found that a conscious effort to induce happiness or expressing premeditated
view about happiness may reduce the chances of being happy. It has been seen that when
people were showed something which they otherwise feel good about after they have been

3HAPPINESS CAMPAIGN
talked about what happiness is or how that is supposed to make happy, reduces their
happiness level significantly while those participants who did not have the talk felt genuinely
happy. When happiness becomes mandatory and a moral obligation, it takes away the major
element that actually contributed to happiness, the element of surprise. The happiness
campaign might have the similar effects on people in organizations (Seppala & Cameron,
2015). While the campaign may serve as a tool to increase engagement of the employees and
understand each other better, cooperate and learn about each other, it will also have adverse
effects and make employees’ want of happiness more diverse, making it impossible for
organizations to achieve that standard.
Happiness cannot ensure employee recruitment
Happiness is also ineffective to employee recruitment as the happiness that employees
feel at first due to the campaigns wears off fast and soon they are looking for other sources of
happiness (Mauss et al., 2011). When organizations take measures to improve the happiness
of the employees by introducing campaigns of happiness, it makes the employees feel
grateful and committed at first as they feel that the organization is going out of their way to
ensure their happiness. Though, that soon washes out and it may become an extra burden for
them (Spicer and Cederstrom, 2015). It is necessary to note here that in many cases
employees might become too dependent emotionally to the organization itself thus making
them more prone to depression and devastation if they lose their job. Studies have shown that
employees are likely to become dependent upon people as well as organization’s effort for
their job satisfaction and loss of that effort might lead to morale downfall and disengagement
of the employees. Among the numerous studies that has been carried out in this regard, the
research work of Susanne Ekmann mentions that people who extracted happiness out of their
work are likely to become too needy.

4HAPPINESS CAMPAIGN
Happiness campaigns cannot ensure retention
Happiness campaigns cannot be used to ensure employee retention. A research by
Spicer and Cederstrom (2015) shows that the design and elements included in the happiness
campaign will be largely indicative of the effect that it might have on people (Gruber et al.,
2013). As more and more countries are following the western tradition of work and life,
employees too are becoming more result oriented. For that reason, while trying to determine
the meaning of happiness or the factors that make them happy, people are showing increased
set of standard and dreams which are another cause of their unhappiness. It is like a vicious
cycle that feeds off each other (Pogosyan, 2016). Moreover, the moment they achieve their
desires level of happiness, it quickly gets replaced by newer and higher ones. These standards
of happiness are mostly set from the achievements of others, mostly people that society in
general consider successful. This continuous pursuit leads to increased depression and lack of
fulfilment that actually disrupts their happiness. This is where happiness campaigns become
ineffective as they are set programs and are tailored according to individual standard of
happiness.
Organizational culture is the key to employee happiness
In a recent study, Eva Illouz observed that these people are likely to behave more
businesslike in their private life as well thus effectively destroying those relationships
(Seppala & Cameron, 2015). Experiments have shown that a positive organizational culture
decreases job related hazards, employee health and reduction in cost for compensation. The
same study also indicates that that better environment is likely to ensure employee retention
and higher engagement of the employees to their work (Mauss et al., 2011). Thus, it is safe to
say that the happiness campaigns are ineffective in employee retention and engagement but a
well thought out plan for ensuring a positive organizational culture and inclusion is far more
effective and long term (Spicer and Cederstrom, 2015).

5HAPPINESS CAMPAIGN
Conclusion
The above discussion clearly indicates that the happiness campaign might be launched
if the organization wants to show their effort and it is likely that they will increase the
happiness of the employees for some time but is unlikely to have long term effect. Happiness
in workplace is one of the major concerns of managers and leaders presently. Happiness
again, is subjective and might vary person to person or across culture. Employees become
dependent on organizations and happiness campaigns are more short term than long term in
nature. A positive organizational culture is more effective. Thus, incorporating all the aspects
and views into it and making employee wellness a department rather than campaign, is likely
to be more successful approach.

6HAPPINESS CAMPAIGN
Works Cited
Gruber, J., Kogan, A., Quoidbach, J., & Mauss, I. B. (2013). Happiness is best kept stable:
Positive emotion variability is associated with poorer psychological
health. Emotion, 13(1), 1. Retrieved 8 February 2020
Mauss, I. B., Tamir, M., Anderson, C. L., & Savino, N. S. (2011). Can seeking happiness
make people unhappy? Paradoxical effects of valuing happiness. Emotion, 11(4), 807.
Retrieved 8 February 2020
Pogosyan, M. (2016). How Does Culture Affect Our Happiness?. Retrieved 8 February 2020,
from https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/between-cultures/201605/how-
does-culture-affect-our-happiness
Seppala, E., & Cameron, K. (2015). Proof that positive work cultures are more
productive. Harvard Business Review, 12(1), 44-50.
Spicer, A., & Cederström, C. (2015). The Research We’ve Ignored About Happiness at
Work. Retrieved 8 February 2020, from https://hbr.org/2015/07/the-research-weve-
ignored-about-happiness-at-work