Happiness, Health & Safety (reasons to be cheerful) Professor Craig A. Jackson Professor of Workplace Health Psychology Head of Psychology

Context…

Battling cynicism in OH

No Gimmickry No Snake oil

Q.1 Should you make people happier? Q.2 Could you make people happier? Your role in Health & Safety Keep people safe Stop people getting (more) ill Optimising safety Promoting well-being Q.1 Should you make people happier? Q.2 Could you make people happier?

Is the UK a Happy Place?

An unhappy UK . . . . Has increased: GP appointments NHS costs Crime (some) Road traffic accidents Sickness absence Suicide Depression & Anxiety Self-harm

Hygge! (hoogah)

Is the UK a Happy Place? Q1. What makes YOU happy?

Is the UK a Happy Place? Q2. What makes YOU unhappy?

What would YOU sacrifice for guaranteed happiness? Is the UK a Happy Place? Q3. What would YOU sacrifice for guaranteed happiness?

The Historical Power of Happiness

Prosperity ≠ Happiness

Measuring Money! “Standard measures of national income do not allow for the health of our children, the quality of their education, the joy of their play.” Robert Kennedy

Measuring happiness Ask a broad sample of people, four simple questions . . . . Q1. Overall, how satisfied are you with your life nowadays? 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 “Not at all” “Completely”

Measuring happiness Ask a broad sample of people, four simple questions . . . . Q2. Overall, to what extent do you feel the things you do in your life are worthwhile? 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 “Not at all” “Completely”

Measuring happiness Q3. Overall, how happy did you feel yesterday? Ask a broad sample of people, four simple questions . . . . Q3. Overall, how happy did you feel yesterday? 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 “Not at all” “Completely”

Measuring happiness Q4. Overall, how anxious did you feel yesterday? Ask a broad sample of people, four simple questions . . . . Q4. Overall, how anxious did you feel yesterday? 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 “Not at all” “Completely”

Is the UK a Happy Place?

Is the UK a Happy Place?

So is the UK Happy? Average score of 7.5 out of 10 – which is “Fairly Happy” Could we be happier? What would it take to make the UK Happier? What is the real cost of the UK not being Happier? Is it in even our national psyche to be happy?

The Happy Map

Five Least & Most Happy Places?

Religion and Happiness Q2. Overall, to what extent do you feel the things you do in your life are worthwhile?

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The Commodification of Happiness Wellbeing & Wellness Chief Happiness Officers in companies Behavioural nudges Emotion-centred thinking

Is Happiness all that matters? Older metrics were “on time” or “good” or “expectations” Such measures are out of date It’s all about the “experience” Toilets. Coffee. Driving. Education. How did we do today?

Is Happiness all that matters? Constant growth area Happiness research: 235 articles in 2016 (pubmed.com)

The dreaded “unhappy customer”

How can we possibly be happy? Tax (and Tax evaders) Terrorists Migrants / Immigrants Deficits National debt Regulations Invasion of privacy Busybody officials Hospital acquired infections Heavy-handed policing Excessive parking charges Speed cameras

Positive Psychology suggests . . . Simplicity of life De-clutter complexity Less is more / minimalism Open-mindedness Mindfulness

Unhappiness might be natural