It’s generally assumed that greater wealth leads to happiness but the opposite might be true: happiness leads to greater wealth, several studies support this.
A research paper published by the Academy of Sciences of the United States of America found that adults who report higher life satisfaction earn significantly higher levels of income in life.
So, do you want to boost your happiness in order to perform better at work and increase your personal wealth?
If so, you need to get a better idea of why happy people are able to earn more money.
1. Happy people take an optimistic approach.
Employees who are happy tend to earn more money because their optimistic approach makes them more open to opportunity and new experiences.
They are willing to accept challenges and take risks, both of which are predictors of greater earning opportunity.
2. Happy people have fewer sick days.
Happiness might play a role in overall well-being.
Happy employees tend to spend more time working and less time out of the office on sick leave.
According to research by Illinois Wesleyan University, happy employees stay home 15 fewer days a year, on average, than unhappy workers — and live up to 10 years longer.
3. Happy people are more productive.
Researchers found a link between happiness and productivity.
Individuals who were made to feel happier had up to 12 per cent greater productivity than those who were not.
Being productive at work has obvious benefits. If your boss notices your productivity, it puts you in a better position for a promotion and salary increase.
4. Happy people perform better.
“Happiness is contagious,” said Idowu Koyenikan, author of Wealth for All Africans
It rubs off on your co-workers and, most importantly, your customers.
For this reason, happy people tend to get better performance reviews, which typically lead to higher pay.
Employers also want happy people on staff to boost morale and promote a good work environment.
