Get to it

If this book has done what I intended, you now know what happiness at work is. You have an idea what it does for people, how we achieve it, what typically makes us unhappy at work, and how we can deal with those things.

You’ve also read a lot of stories about happy people and happy companies. You’ve seen the simple, effective things they do, and I hope you have been inspired to try some of these things yourself.

But most of all, I hope you’re as fired up about the idea of happiness at work as I am. Through my work I see companies where people love working, and I see people stepping up and taking charge of their work situation and making a huge difference for themselves and others. I see what it does for them—how it changes people from victims of a bad work situation to architects of a better future.

I’ve seen first hand the energy, creativity, buzz, passion and fun that come from being happy at work. I’ve seen how people grow and learn and become more themselves than ever before. I’ve seen people discovering new talents and skills they never knew they had. I’ve seen the fire in people’s eyes when they are sincerely apreciated for what they do.

I know that happiness is the greatest force in business, and that being happy at work is the best way to fulfill your potential, be successful and make a positive difference. I know that the more of us get together around this vision of making work a great experience, the easier it will be to make this level of happiness the norm, rather than the exception.

I’m totally giddy about a future where almost no one will accept unhappy work, because happy, vibrant, living workplaces have become the standard. And best of all, I know that this future is coming no matter what. The world of work is on an inevitable path towards more and more happiness. The future belongs to the happy, because the happy are just that damned good.

To make a difference, and to make ourselves and others happier at work, doesn’t take a psychology degree, fancy business concepts or amazing CEO superpowers. It takes just one thing: Wild-eyed enthusiasm. It won’t be the MBAs, the management consultants or the business gurus who will change our workplaces for the better. It’s going to be you and me and all the other people who share a complete, total, irrational belief that happiness at work is a great, great thing, and that we should do it. Now!

If you agree with me that happiness at work is a shining and inspiring goal, and want to take an active part in making it happen, there’s a simple way for you to show it: Sign the manifesto!

At www.positivesharing.com/manifesto, you can read the Happy At Work Manifesto, and if you agree with it, sign it to show your commitment to creating happiness at work for yourself and others.

Let’s make this the springboard of a worldwide movement. Let’s learn from each other, support each other, cheer each other on and celebrate our progress towards better, more efficient, more humane and happier workplaces.

Happiness at work comes from the things you and I do, here and now. There are so many things you can do—the important thing is that you do something.

Now get to it! And have great fun on the way…

I wish you the greatest of happiness at work—and outside of it.

Alexnder Kjerulf

Chief Happiness Officer

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