An Introduction to Happiness: Relationships

Over the last few weeks, I have been sharing this idea of being happy at work. Why? Because when you ask the members of Generation Z (the next generation coming into the workforce) what they value most in life, most have a simple answer: Happiness. Happy people are “12% more productive” than those who aren’t, according to a comprehensive study from the University of Warwick.

This week, I’m pursuing the idea that strong, healthy relationships help people be happier.

Let’s dig into two different types of relationships: friends and family outside of work and our coworkers. Knowing that the two overlap, let’s put them in those buckets for the time being and dig in to the importance of both.

Strong Relationships Outside of Work Lead to Happiness

Most of us know how important relationships are to our lives outside of work. It’s why we crave meals with friends, a partner to do life alongside, and people to call when things are good or tough. Studies show how much we need community for our happiness and health:

• This study out of the University of Michigan found that friendship alonewas seen to be a solid predictor of positive overall health at later ages.
• This study (my personal favorite), from the Harvard Medical School, had the same findings…