Studies have shown that when employees experience joy, their motivation increases. This is because joy activates areas of the brain associated with reward and motivation, such as the nucleus accumbens, ventral tegmental area, and amygdala (Mehta, 2018). For example, a 2017 study by the University of Missouri-St. Louis found that positive emotions reduce activity in the amygdala, leading to lower levels of stress and anxiety.
One study is “Positive emotions and job satisfaction as predictors of work engagement” by Tims, Bakker, and Derks. This study found that employees who reported higher levels of positive emotions and job satisfaction were more likely to be engaged in their work and have higher levels of motivation.
Another study is “The role of positive emotions in positive psychology” by Fredrickson, Tugade, Waugh, and Larkin. This study found that positive emotions, such as joy, broaden people’s thinking and increase their ability to think creatively, which can lead to increased motivation to take on new challenges and achieve goals.
Additionally, the study “Positive affect and psychological well-being” by Diener, Lucas, and Oishi found that people who reported higher levels of positive affect (which includes joy) had higher levels of motivation and goal attainment.
