What Happy Companies Know: How the New Science of Happiness Can Change Your Company for the Better

Distinguished by optimism and honesty, a happy company has a "culture in which personal respect, appreciation, and trust become a major reason for its business success." Employees won't need to sing "kumbaya" to accomplish this, assert the authors of this persuasive and encouraging if dense guide. But promoting "happiness" may result in an innovative, collaborative company with employees who are relatively stress-free and attuned to opportunity—plus, happiness will promote the bottom line. Baker (a psychologist and coauthor of What Happy People Know ), Greenberg (a leadership coach) and Hemingway (a business writer and coauthor with Bill Gates of Business @ the Speed of Thought ) investigate the underlying emotional, psychological and even neurological influences on good and bad business practices. Beginning with an examination of fear and aggression as motivators for negative or even passive business decisions, the book later delves into topics including strategies for combating stress both personally and as an organization, employing humility in leadership and developing emotional intelligence. This book is relevant to both the CEO concerned with motivating workers and the employee figuring out how to improve personal coping skills. (June 6)