Understanding the ROI of Happiness

What does that even mean “The ROI of Happiness for Businesses”?

ROI stands for “Return On Investment” a corporate term used to measure the amount of return on an investment relative to the investment’s cost. Normally this is used for financial evaluations and projections but this can be used to look at Happiness in the workplace as well. It is similar to the conversations European countries are having about the measurement and value of their GDP. A countries Gross Domestic Product (GDP) measures their financial success, but is finances the only measurement of success we need to determine if where we live is succeeding? Many countries are saying it is not enough. We also need to look at people’s level of well being to determine if a country is doing ‘well.’ The Harvard Business Review just wrote an article addressing this question directly – GDP Is Not  A Measure of Human Well-Being.

So yes a company does need to assess its financial health, but it also needs to assess and pay attention to their employee well-being and happiness. How much is happiness worth to you, your family, your classroom or your company? Is a company that produces financially but fails in the well-being and happiness department of their employees a place you want to work? Are financial indicators the only indicator of a companies success? Happiness in the workplace should be on par with financial success if people wish to thrive. So read on to see why the ROI of Happiness is worth measuring where you work and where you go to school. Classrooms can use ROI to increase their well-being too!

Step 1 – Understanding How Happiness Works in Your Brain and Body

Happiness is a subjective matter. What makes one person happy may not work for another. What research tells us is our brains and bodies are wired for happiness. We just need to understand how our brains interpret happiness, how it identifies when we are happy. We know we are happy when we do something that gets those circuits called neurotransmitters firing. We remember these chemicals with a simple acronym we call A Daily D.O.S.E. of Happiness.

• Dopamine: Reward Chemical
• Oxytocin: Love Chemical
• Serotonin: Happy Chemical
• Endorphins: Pleasure Chemical

Here’s the really great news once you get a daily D.O.S.E. of happiness going with the firing of these chemicals, your stress chemicals reduce as well. As happiness goes up, stress goes down. All of this happens at the same time.

• Cortisol: Stress and Anxiety Chemical

Step 2 – How to Get A Daily D.O.S.E of Happiness

The Science of Giving has been researched for decades. What researchers and scientists have discovered is when you give – no matter how small – you fire off all 4 of your brain chemicals (DOSE) that create feelings of happiness and well-being. When you make it a daily habit (just like brushing your teeth) you create a happiness habit every day. Every give you complete fires off the DOSE chemicals and decreases your stress chemicals.

Step 3 – Start Giving!

This is where we come in! Giving is our expertise and we share the benefits of giving every day, simple, easy gives that return a dose of happiness to the giver and the receiver. Here are a few ideas to get your going. You can give to people, animals, or the planet or to get your daily D.O.S.E. of Happiness 365 days of the year.

• 10 Ways to Give to The Planet from Work, Home to School
• 10 Daily Gives To Animals That Will Make you Happy
• 22 Small Acts of Giving To Increase Your Happiness

Step 4 – The ROI of Happiness at Work, School, and Home

Now you know “how” happiness works and you have some giving ideas to get you started but what’s the ROI of Happiness? Where does the “Return on Investment” come into play in your life, school or work?

Benefits of Giving

• Boosts Immune System (less sickness)
• Protects your Heart: Lower Blood Pressure and Heart Rate
• Reduces Pain
• Increases Life Longevity
• Increases Self Esteem
• Lowers Stress
• Lowers Depression

It pays off for companies to start a CSR Program (Corporate Social Responsibility) or an Employee Giving Program to reap the rewards of giving. See below how giving and happiness pays off with a minimal investment of time in your company.

It pays off for schools to start our 365give Challenge with an investment in your students.

It pays off for a family or individual join us and be inspired to give every day.

Investing in happiness only takes a little time but the ROI far exceeds what the time investment is. There are 3 minute gives, there are 30 second gives. The payback for increased personal well-being is priceless. People would be doing hand stands for this Return on Investment when it comes to finances. Why not implement a program that does the same for well-being and knock happiness out of the ball park.

Join our 365giving community today and follow through on our simple daily habit of giving. We give you ideas, inspiration and a little nudge when you sign up for a 365give membership. All you have to do is give.