---
title: "Why happiness at work really matters - The Intercom Blog"
description: "Research from the University of Warwick found that happy workers are about 12% more productive, and Shawn Achor quantified benefits including 37% higher sales and 31% higher productivity. However, the post argues that common perks like free food and high salaries are overrated because humans quickly adapt, citing a study where lottery winners were no happier than accident survivors. Instead, factors such as meaningful work, recognition, and strong relationships are more critical, supported by Gallup research on engagement. Alexander Kjerulf, a management consultant, recommends five practices including random acts of kindness, hiring for attitude as Pret A Manger does, and celebrating mistakes like Ben & Jerry’s flavor graveyard. The post concludes that making staff happy is about offering meaningful work, not expensive benefits, and that any company can afford that."
---

# Why happiness at work really matters - The Intercom Blog

[Intercom](https://yomu.fyi/company/intercom) · Oct 13, 2026

**Type:** Explainer

## Summary

Research from the University of Warwick found that happy workers are about 12% more productive, and Shawn Achor quantified benefits including 37% higher sales and 31% higher productivity. However, the post argues that common perks like free food and high salaries are overrated because humans quickly adapt, citing a study where lottery winners were no happier than accident survivors. Instead, factors such as meaningful work, recognition, and strong relationships are more critical, supported by Gallup research on engagement. Alexander Kjerulf, a management consultant, recommends five practices including random acts of kindness, hiring for attitude as Pret A Manger does, and celebrating mistakes like Ben & Jerry’s flavor graveyard. The post concludes that making staff happy is about offering meaningful work, not expensive benefits, and that any company can afford that.

## Context

The post is from Intercom’s blog, discussing the importance of workplace happiness and debunking the myth that perks alone create happiness. It cites academic research and real-world examples from companies like Google, Zappos, and Lego.

## Takeaways

- Happy workers are about 12% more productive according to University of Warwick research.
- Perks like free food and high salaries are overrated because humans adapt quickly; meaningful work and relationships matter more.
- Negative emotions are three times more contagious than positive ones, so stopping negative behavior is crucial.

## FAQ

### What makes employees happy at work?

The post argues that meaningful work, recognition, and strong relationships are more important than perks like free food or high salaries. Research shows that people adapt to perks, and factors like feeling valued and contributing to something significant drive happiness.

### How can companies foster happiness?

Alexander Kjerulf recommends five practices: random acts of kindness, hiring happy people, stopping negative behavior, celebrating success, and celebrating mistakes. Examples include Lego celebrating small wins and Ben & Jerry's having a flavor graveyard.

### Does salary affect happiness?

The post says salary is not a key driver of happiness; it becomes a factor of unhappiness when people feel underpaid compared to peers. A Princeton study found highly paid people are barely happier day-to-day and tend to be more tense.

**Tags:** [Culture](https://yomu.fyi/topic/culture), [Management](https://yomu.fyi/topic/management), [Productivity](https://yomu.fyi/topic/productivity)

- Source: [Intercom](https://www.intercom.com/blog/why-happiness-at-work-really-matters)
- Source URL: https://www.intercom.com/blog/why-happiness-at-work-really-matters
- Ingested by Yomu: 2026-10-13T18:00:51.183Z

[Read original post](https://www.intercom.com/blog/why-happiness-at-work-really-matters)