Celebrating International Happiness Day at Work

What is International Happiness Day?

Each March marks International Happiness Day, created by the United Nations in 2012 to recognise happiness and wellbeing as universal goals for all people.

The idea is simple but powerful: every new policy introduced by a state should factor in people’s happiness and wellbeing, ensuring these aren’t forgotten in decision-making. The UAE even went as far as appointing a Minister for Happiness — which I love ❤️.

How to celebrate International Happiness Day?

For me, it’s a catalyst. It got me thinking back to my HR days and how useful taking the happiness approach would have been when implementing and communicating policy, process, or change initiatives.

I worked in plenty of organisations where, even as an HR professional, I didn’t understand half the company policies. They were written in jargon, felt formal and stuffy, and were anything but user‑friendly.

Yes, some policies are set by employment law, but we can still view them through the lens of happiness and wellbeing in how we write them, the language we use, and how we communicate them. 

How to celebrate International Happiness Day at work?

When I say company policy, I don’t just mean the HR manual. I mean the lived “how we do things around here”—your values, your well‑being culture, the everyday behaviours people experience. If you mapped the employee psychological contract (onboarding, probation, 1:1s, performance, progression, recognition, exit), would each touchpoint pass the happiness test?

Here’s the comparison I love: the sales & marketing funnel.
In a great funnel, every touchpoint adds value and makes the customer feel “yes, this is the right decision.”

Whether you’re selling a huge piece of software like Oracle, or Nelipack Holdings selling hospital equipment, or British Airways offering a flight to Buenos Aires (Every time I've flown Business Class with British Airways, I've been very very happy!) the point is the same: every interaction builds trust and joy.

Your employee journey should work the same way. Policies written in plain language. Processes that feel supportive, not punitive. Communication that’s human, clear, and aligned with your values. That’s how HR turns “words on a page” into behaviour people can feel.

A simple Happiness Test you can run now:

• Does this policy make sense to a human on a busy Tuesday?

• Is the tone supportive, not legalese?

• Where’s the wellbeing benefit—can people feel it?

• Do our values show up in the way we deliver this?

• What would an employee say after this touchpoint: heavier or happier?

If your HR person became Chief Happiness Officer for a week and audited happiness across the journey, what would pass and what would fail?

If you want your employees to feel happier now, help them understand what happiness is.

Book a Wellbeing Webinar on The Happiness Effect for International Happiness Day.  

In 60 minutes, help your employees fall out of the "I'll be happy when trap' and understand how they can experience feeling happy in the moment!