When we hear Pharell Williams sing ‘Happy’ it brings a spontaneous smile to our faces and we feel energised and as a result more productive.  Extensive research also tells us that happy people are healthier, spend fewer days off sick and make more money!

So why do people not do more to bring a smile to someone’s face?

You may think it is too difficult in the workplace to make people smile, that it is impractical to have ‘Happy’ playing in the background however there are a number of things you can do to make a happy and more productive workplace.

• Smile… it costs nothing and means so much
• Ask people how they are and also wait for their response don’t walk on without hearing it
• Play a game at lunch time – there is nothing like bringing old games out of the loft and sharing them will your colleagues
• Find time for fun - plan fund raisers, agree days when you will all dress with a particular colour, have a meeting with a fun theme
• Take a word from the Oxford dictionary and get everyone to weave it into their conversations during the day, the last person to do so buys the biscuits
• Buy ice creams it creates a short break when people talk, relax and feel happy
• Celebrate – find reasons to celebrate – a job well done, completion of a project, achieving sales, new contract
• Recognition – give praise where praise is due and say thank you
• Leave your frown at the door – if you feel unhappy in the morning leave your frown at the door, don’t inflict your mood on others
• Recruit those with a happy disposition

These are all practical low cost tasks you can do to help make people happy just like Pharell Williams does!