A culture of joy leads to increased optimism for companies in 2023 because when colleagues feel joyous, they have an overall more positive outlook. This is supported by scientific evidence, as research has found that positive states of mind can physically alter the brain. According to a study published in the journal Nature Human Behavior, “positive states of mind can lead to greater functional connectivity in the brain, specifically in the areas associated with reward processing, such as the ventral striatum and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex.” (Jollans et al., 2016). When you can process rewards clearly, focusing on your goals becomes easier.
Furthermore, research from the Department of Psychology at the University of Michigan found that a joyful culture was associated with a 17% reduction in stress among employees.
The same study also found that a joyful workplace was linked to an 18% increase in self-efficacy and a 15% increase in job satisfaction (Gollwitzer & Moskowitz, 2004).
When self-efficacy is prioritized, the set of beliefs about our ability to complete our work, we can then expect increased job satisfaction, which leads to optimistic attitudes.
