As you probably know, people who are happy work more without sacrificing quality. Well, now you can put a number on it: people work about twelve per cent more when they’re happy.
From where does the twelve per cent number come? A study (pdf warning) published in the Journal of Labour Economics, that’s where. Researchers performed a number of tests in a laboratory setting, mimicking work conditions.
In one experiment, 276 subjects had to take an arithmetic test and were paid per each correct answer. Half of the subjects got to watch a comedy movie beforehand, and the other half didn’t get to watch anything. The happier group ended up doing better and getting paid more.
The test was replicated with other ways of making workers happy—gifts of chocolate, pop, and even just talking about a happy memory. So, managers, take note: happiness makes people work harder. It’s really that simple.
