What’s your currency?

Here is perhaps our society’s most widely debated aphorism.

Can money buy happiness?

There are thousands articles, studies, books research papers, message boards, speeches, even organizations dedicated to arguing it one way or another.

But what if we’re asking the wrong question? What if we’ve all been measuring the wrong currency?

Because in my experience, although money may not make you happy, being happy may increase your chances of making you money.

Let’s think about this from an organizational perspective. Adams, whose cubicle comic strip defined an entire generation of office workers, poses his economic theory as it relates to employee happiness. See how this resonates with you. Dilbert may be onto something.

Following the moral minimum might have the side effect of being profitable for companies. Happiness creates money. Employees should not focus on making money directly. They should focus on their own happiness and money will follow. Happy people work harder and better.

The goal for workers, then, should be to focus on eliminating the only remaining obstacle to office productivity, which is their happiness. Not only for the unseen downstream effects, but also because it simply feels better.

This theory validates my belief that the only key performance indicator worth measuring in an organization is contentment. Anything else shouldn’t even be part of the conversation.

Yes, there are still investors, board members and stockholders who want to see the hard numbers across the board.

But happiness is the great catchall. Check that box, and all the other fields will autofill on their own.

Contentment is the only jewel of the human family that needs no guard of locks or bars.

Now, you may be wondering to yourself, okay mister bright side, how do you suggest we make employees happier?

Way ahead of you.

Because understandably, happiness isn’t easy for everyone. But contentment is still our responsibility. Nobody is going to give it to us.

That’s why I’m thinking of launching a new joy tracking app.

Joyfool prompts depressed or disengaged people to document their daily moments of delights and pleasure as a mood enhancement exercise. Now instead of cynically blanketing every spark and flicker of delight, people can take greater agency over joy. This new app will help light a candle in the darkness.

If your company starts from there, profits will most certainly follow suit.

As long as you keep happiness high on the agenda, there’s no telling what kinds of amazing results you might achieve. 

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What is your currency for all future transactions?