People-first organizations know that business success is determined by the humans doing the work. That’s why the ability to attract, retain, and engage strong team members is always near the top of leadership priority lists. In their State of the Global Workplace report, Gallup found that disengagement cost the world economy $438 billion in lost productivity in 2024.
Gallup further concluded that, “$9.6 trillion in productivity could be added to the economy if the global workforce was fully engaged.” That said, the case for strengthening employee engagement goes beyond profits and productivity. The same report found that only 33% of the world’s employees say they’re thriving in their lives overall.
This might paint a bleak picture, but only if we overlook the opportunity this opens. Disengagement represents an enormous opportunity to support the people who power your mission.
The Human Toll of Perpetual Ambiguity
Falling employee engagement doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Uncertainty has been all but a certainty for a long time, with multiple crises unfolding simultaneously: rising costs everywhere, affordable childcare and housing shortages, ongoing geopolitical unrest.
Consider these findings cited by the U.S. Office of the Surgeon General:
76% of U.S. workers reported at least one symptom of a mental health condition.
84% of respondents said their workplace conditions had contributed to at least one mental health challenge.
81% of workers reported that they will be looking for workplaces that support mental health in the future.
This shows that employees’ personal lives inevitably shape their work experience, and it behooves organizations to acknowledge that reality. Learning how to work effectively while navigating perpetual ambiguity is a shared responsibility of the entire workplace ecosystem that cannot be shouldered by employees alone.
Making Joy the New Business Normal
Despite all the HR trends over the years, studies prove that in any climate, employees want the same things. Short-term priorities may shift, but overarching needs remain the same.
With so many data points and initiatives, it’s difficult to predict what will make the biggest difference. There is, however, a practical, approachable, and impactful strategy that addresses these core human needs for psychological safety, connection, belonging, and meaning.
That strategy is joy, and in endless uncertainty, we need to make joy the new normal.
Using The Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Well?Being, these core human needs can be defined as:
- Protection from harm (safety and security)
- Connection and community (support and belonging)
- Work-life harmony (flexibility and autonomy)
- Mattering at work(meaning and dignity)
- Opportunity for growth (learning and accomplishment).
The Impact of Joy
Joy enhances the impact of people strategy and culture building. We’ve known for some time about the harmful effects of chronic stress, burnout, and disengagement, especially among management
and leadership.
Joy at work is only recently getting more serious and sustained attention. That’s because the data continues to highlight the ripple effects of building a culture of joy, effects that are amplified during times of uncertainty.
Joy Increases
- Trust
- Wellbeing
- Teamwork and Collaboration
- Creativity and Innovation
- Satisfaction and Productivity
Joy Decreases
- Turnover and Quiet Quitting
- Absenteeism
- Stress and Burnout
- Workplace Conflict
- Errors, Mistakes, and
- Customer Complaints
Simply put, joy bolsters all people and culture initiatives.
As evident by the numerous studies on employee disengagement, stress, and burnout, it’s clear that joy can become a major differentiator. In creating a joyful workplace, we can unlock potential and create a lasting impact in the lives of employees, clients, and communities.
Organizational and Team Well-Being
Joy strengthens organizational and team well-being without adding more to already full plates.
The difference between a good workplace and a joyful one is not only whether leaders have the empathy to understand their people, it’s whether they have the courage and compassion to act on that understanding. There are countless ways to nurture joy through low cost, low effort, and high impact daily actions.
Let’s consider a few strategies, not because they’re trendy, but because they’re tools we need to meet this moment.
Do you remember the last time a colleague remembered to ask about your recent hiking trip? What about the last time you asked a peer to see some pictures of their new furbaby?
Have you ever found a note at your desk with a handwritten thank you from a coworker? Or been apologized to after you were interrupted during a meeting? Speaking of meetings, when was the last time you canceled a meeting to give your team focus time? Or planned a teambuilding event during the work day instead of after hours?
Sometimes, we just need to change where and how we connect. Connection helps us better understand what our teams need so we can bring more joy into our spaces. What if you move 1:1s outside? Fresh air makes us feel lighter, more open, and more human. Nature improves energy, creativity, problem solving, and well-being.
This isn’t about forcing feel-good fluff, ignoring real challenges, or any other form of toxic positivity. This is about creating opportunities to move from “checking in” to taking meaningful action. In these honest moments, we build connection and trust—and trust is where joy takes root, even in a crisis.
Uncertainty and Disengagement
Adults spend roughly 90,000 hours of their lives working. The quality of that time matters. Workplaces don’t just produce products or services, they produce human experiences. If we can figure out how to improve a fraction of those experiences, millions of people could join the ranks of those who are thriving.
While there’s no one explanation for any HR metric, Gallup’s findings make it easy to draw the following conclusion: These times call for a new standard for leadership, one that fosters the ability to acknowledge the hardship of what is, while still daring to dream of what could be.
When you consider how much is going on outside your doors and in the world around us, this delicate balancing act has become a daily lesson in practicing empathy, creativity, and courage. It’s a good thing joy nurtures these crucial leadership qualities.
An Audacious Strategy
Designing for joy at work is an invitation to embrace that yes, there is hope even when things are hard. It’s a dare to imagine the possibilities when you approach the work day a bit differently.
Every member of the organization contributes to supporting a positive and joyful culture, though this responsibility starts with leadership. Joy must be the new standard for leadership, precisely because it reminds us that the employee experience is nourished less by company policies and HR programs, and far more by everyday interactions.
As social impact leaders, we’re at our most powerful when the way we work reflects the world we hope to build. That’s why joy must be at the heart of our business, people, and culture strategy. Not because this is new for us, it’s simply time we acknowledge that joy has always mattered far more than we realize.
Jennice Chewlin, affectionately nicknamed La Reina of Joy, is founder and CEO of Chewlin Group. A dedicated social entrepreneur, she is on a mission to inspire leaders and changemakers to rediscover the power of joy to support the people who power their mission. For more information, visit chewlingroup.com.
