How often do you think about your mood or feelings about your experiences? Are you prone to finding the positive or the negative? These are questions everyone should ask themselves because your typical response, whether positive or negative, can quite literally dictate how you perceive life.

Positive psychology is not a new concept. Although Martin Seligman established positive psychology as a new domain of psychology in 1998, it has roots as far back in history as the teachings of Aristotle. It may come as a surprise to you that, yes, as far back in human history as any ancient writings go so too does the concept of positive psychology.

Life is a subjective experience but there are some basic desires that all humans share. One of those needs is quality of life. There may be barriers to this such as mental illness, health issues, or other hardships in life but it is a universal truth that we all want happiness.

Positive psychology doesn’t assume one thing will change someone’s life rather it suggests that multiple factors contribute to happiness and well-being. The key is to find these naturally occurring relationships such as family, friendship, community, physical activity, spirituality, and meaningful work.

Of course, we aren’t naïve enough to suggest that these things just happen or that they come easily to everyone because the truth is they do not. These types of relationships that create seeds of natural energy for the heart and soul must be sown and cared for to see them grow. Like anything that requires our time, effort, and physical and emotional energy we tend to go inward versus outward. We will search to the ends of the Earth for happiness before we give ourselves to something that exposes our vulnerability. But why?

In many cultures, vulnerability is described as a weakness. Being vulnerable can open us up to rejection, pain, and weakness. We could invite judgment, criticism, and feelings of discomfort. Many of us are conditioned throughout our formative years and beyond that to open up and share our feelings with others will only subject us to disappointment. These fears are deeply rooted within us and our societies.

However, vulnerability can be a powerful and positive force in relationships, paving the way for deeper connections and stronger bonds. When we can be our authentic selves, we tend to attach to the thing that enables it. The ability to be oneself is directly responsible for happiness and well-being and the basis for positive psychology.

Since positive psychology involves shaping our response to experiences in life, it would only make sense that this same concept could be applied to the workplace. After all, we spend so much of our lives working and at work. So, what does this look like in the workplace?

Practical Applications in the Workplace

The workplace has seen some of its biggest leaps toward becoming more employee-centric in the 20th century. One of these leaps centers on well-being including wellness programs that offer a range of resources for mental and physical health, financial support, and work-life balance.

Employers have learned that when their employees are happy there is a positive correlation with the bottom line but what really makes us happy?

Positive psychology tells us that simply offering resources to support well-being alone will not create the environment to foster engagement, instead, it will only drive a wedge if offered without respect, dignity, and acceptance.

For happiness, the workplace must create an environment for relationships to flourish. Positive social interactions and meaningful relationships, where we feel accepted and valued by others, lead to a fundamental human need to feel as though we belong.

Workplaces that adopt the concept of positive psychology into their leadership training, recruitment strategies, and policies can cultivate a culture built on positive relations and thinking. The practicality of positive psychology is transferable across all business units and, while it is an invaluable concept to adopt, it won’t cost a thing.

Leadership Training

To make positive psychology a value for the organization, you must educate leaders on what it is and why it matters. Providing leaders with the tools and resources needed to facilitate the implementation of a positive mindset in their departments will help provide them with the support they need to make changes.

With any workplace culture, leaders must hold themselves to a higher standard and demonstrate the values the organization wants to adhere to.

Recruitment Strategies

Making the right hires is much easier said than done. Most job candidates will show you what they want you to see but, while often subtle, there are telltale signs to watch out for. Train leaders to emphasize a positive attitude and team fit versus the best experience, especially if it overlooks concerns discovered in the interview process. Yes, one bad hire can counteract team synergy.

Policy

Look, everyone has a bad day from time to time and we should certainly normalize that, but we cannot accept a bad day as an excuse for treating others poorly. It happens frequently when a leader lets a negative interaction slide – maybe because the individual at fault is great at his or her job, or perhaps, they just aren’t sure how to address it.

Empowering both leaders and HR with policies that underline the importance of positivity in the workplace and examples of behavior that will not be tolerated is critical. Again, nobody should be punished for having a bad day, it happens to the best of us, but by not addressing negativity we run the risk of reinforcing it.

This is all great but what’s your role in this?

Humor us and imagine you are walking through the doors of your workplace. There is no feeling of dread, no thought about how you just need to hang in there until the weekend. No. Just excited to start your day, to see your colleagues and work together toward a common goal. You feel connected to the work and the people you work with. Things are in harmony. Close your eyes and picture this scenario. Feel all the feelings.

Okay, open your eyes. What would it take for you to feel this way about your work? Now, ask yourself, is it your workplace that keeps you from feeling this way about work or is it you? So much of how we process our experiences is about perception.

Of course, we can’t all be good vibes all the time like some people seemingly can, but we can learn something from those individuals and how they approach life. The workplace is only one aspect of what feeds into positive psychology. Much of what brings meaning to our lives happens beyond the four walls of work. It is up to you to decide if your happiness is worth it.