The Happiness Index - Data. Insight. Stories

In a world full of unknowns, what if we could finally light up a map of global workplace happiness? 🌍 This week, our brand manager Joe takes over as host to grill our co-founder Matt about a groundbreaking new project: the Global Workplace Happiness Report . For over a decade, The Happiness Index has been gathering data, and now, thanks to new technology, we're ready to create the first-ever...

What if the secret to your organisation's success is hidden in a childhood dream? 🤯 This week, we share a truly unique and fascinating story about a young beetle named John —a Liverpool native who just wanted to be happy. This talk uses John’s journey to prove that happiness is not a soft skill; it’s a non-negotiable strategic metric . We reveal how John’s daughter, Jude, uses world-class res...

In a world of 'hustle culture' and burnout, what if the secret to elite performance isn't grinding harder, but recovering smarter? 🤯 We're joined by James Hewitt , a human performance scientist and former professional athlete. He's here to challenge everything we think we know about productivity and wellbeing. This isn't about working more. It's about a groundbreaking...

This week, we're joined by Mark Dean , a brilliant brain and mind scientist on a mission to end mental ill-health in the workplace. We dive into the fascinating science behind benevolence —not just as a moral virtue, but as a strategic business driver. Mark shares his powerful insights on how we can use our brains to achieve happiness, even when facing challenges. He introduces the "bus p...

This week, we're with Andrew MacAskill, who's on a mission to end career-based misery. He reveals a stark truth: Europe has the lowest engagement scores globally, yet the fewest people looking for a new role. We discuss the cost of this "stuck" workforce—lost productivity and apathy. Andrew highlights the "Moral Factors" (meaning, impact, leadership, ethics, security) t...

What if the biggest drain on your business isn't competition, but your calendar? 🤯 We're with the brilliant Dr. Carrie Goucher, who reveals why our meeting culture is a relic of the industrial era. Dr. Goucher introduces a powerful new term: 'collabureaucracy' —the needless collaboration and bureaucracy that bogs us down. The numbers are stark: most people spend 40-50% of their ti...

This week, with Tony Latter , we reveal vital new data: cultural assessment scores are down 6% globally in the last year. Happiness and engagement are both falling. Trust is eroding, driven by a shocking 10% drop in employees feeling listened to. We'll unpack the critical distinction of "we listened, we did" to rebuild trust. Plus, get an exclusive preview of our Global Workplace Hap...

In a world obsessed with data, what if HR's true superpower isn't crunching numbers, but something far more intuitive and impactful? This week, we're with the brilliant Toby , who just delivered a powerful message at our annual conference. For too long, HR has been told to "be more data-driven." But Toby challenges this notion head-on, arguing that our unique ability to feel the pulse of the organ...

This week, we're joined by the brilliant Anaïs Nebel , an expert passionate about cultivating confidence as a true performance driver. Forget confidence as just a buzzword for younger generations on TikTok; Anaïs brings the evidence for its tangible impact directly into the boardroom. We dive into a critical, yet often unasked, question: How many of your people walk into work, or even meetings...

We’ve seen disengagement as a simple lack of productivity. But what if it’s a profound, internal psychological experience? In this conversation, Matt Phelan talks with Dr. Siobhan Renshaw, an organisational psychologist. Her research redefines disengagement, revealing it as an emotionally charged response to perceived vulnerability, deeply linked to identity and survival. Discover her "aha mo...

What if the most powerful metric for your business, and indeed society, isn't what you think? This week, we're honoured to host Professor Jan-Emmanuel De Neve – a leading authority in economics and behavioural science from the University of Oxford. As the driving force behind Oxford's Wellbeing Research Centre and a key figure in the World Happiness Report, Jan brings unparalleled expertise to the...

What if the metrics we're obsessing over in business are fundamentally flawed? What if true progress lies in something far more nuanced than just the bottom line? We had a truly fascinating conversation that stretched from the digital foundations of government to the radical pursuit of happiness in a nation's DNA. Our guest is the brilliant Tiffany St. James, Chief Commercial Officer at Vitalis Ca...

What ignites the spark in your team? How do you balance commercial needs with the well-being of your people? In this episode, Zoe Rumford, a seasoned Chief People Officer, shares her wisdom on cultivating a culture of clarity, kindness, and unstoppable passion. Explore: Zoe's journey from advisory roles to leading global teams. Discover: Practical tips for context-switching and staying commerciall...

Can Lawyers Be Happy? The insightful Chris Morse joins us to dissect the wellbeing of legal professionals. High pressure, long hours – can happiness thrive? And crucially, what's the business impact if it doesn't? Forget fluffy notions. We're talking tangible results. Happy people = boosted productivity, sharper innovation, and stronger retention. The data backs it up, across all sectors, includin...

Ever felt that spark of pure happiness, that feeling you wish you could bottle? This week on the Happiness Index Podcast, Matt chats with the brilliant Andrea Callender, Inclusion & Diversity Director at Alexander McQueen, about chasing and recreating those very moments. What if happiness isn't just fleeting? What if understanding those peak experiences could unlock a more engaged and thriving...

La Fosse CPO Hannah Thompson joins Matt Phelan on the Happiness Index Podcast! They explore the power of curiosity in HR, the vital link between employee experience and business success, and the unique impact of employee ownership. Get actionable insights on fostering employee voice, building trust, and levelling up your HR career.

Entrepreneur Matt Phelan sits down with multi-award-winning diversity and inclusion expert Mo Kanjilal to discuss her book the Inclusion Journey and what is next up on the journey. About Mo Kanjilal Co-Creator of multi-award-winning diversity and inclusion company, Watch This Sp_ce. TedX speaker, Non-Exec Director, Trustee, writer, and campaigner for equality. Our book 'The Inclusion Journey&#...

Matt Phelan Co-Founder of The Happiness Index sits down with Anne Burt the head of Employee Engagement at DEFRA to discuss Employee Engagement in the workplace. Matt asks Anne the following questions What makes you happy? Tell us about your career Why do employees act the way they do? What factors influence employee engagement scores? How can we foster curiosity in the workplace? How can we shift...

Workplace Happiness expert Matt Phelan and Global Communications and HR Leader Stephanie Sampiere sit down to discuss the DNA of the workplace culture and how that manifests in a healthy EVP. About Stephanie Sampiere Accomplished global communications, people, change and culture strategist who partners with executives to lead employee communications, engagement, experience, culture, talent and cha...

Matt Phelan sits down to discuss with Jo Dodds her career and work with Engage for Success. Jo defines the 4 enablers of Employee Engagement and how you can use them to drive employee engagement. The Four Enablers of Engagement are 1) Strategic Narrative  · 2) Organisational Integrity · 3) Engaging Managers · 4) Employee Voice. Matt asks Jo the following questions What makes you happy? Tell us abo...

About this episode Matt Phelan and Dr Carrie Goucher discuss the fascinating world of meeting culture, how it evolved, why it is a problem and how we can fix it. About Dr Carrie Goucher Dr Carrie Goucher is a leading expert on fixing broken collaboration and helping organisations move faster by rethinking how they meet, decide and execute. With a PhD in Meeting Culture from Cambridge, she coined t...

Matt Phelan co-founder of The Happiness Index sits down with Richard Reid a Behavioural Psychologist and Psychotherapist to discuss the importance of Psychological Safety in modern leadership. Richard in his own words As a seasoned executive coach, psychologist, and consultant with decades of experience, I am committed to working with senior leaders, entrepreneurs, and public figures in addressing...

What if the secret to saving your company £10 million a year isn't a new product or a cost-cutting measure, but simply listening to your people? This week, we're joined by Kevin Green , Chief People Officer at First Bus, the UK's second-largest bus company. As an experienced business and HR leader, and author of the best-selling book Competitive People Strategy , Kevin is uniquely qual...

Chief People Officer Chloe Cameron and Matt Phelan discuss the workforce and workplace of the future. Matt asks Chloe the following questions What do you mean by workforce and workplace? What is our relationship with work? 4 generations in the workplace, how will that work? Discuss technology in the workplace and how it will impact work in the future? Is belonging going to be important in the futu...

Susan Ní Chríodáin the author of Leading Beyond the Numbers joins us to discuss her book and work focused on Integrating Business with Emotions. Susan answers the following questions; What makes you happy? Why did you write Leading Beyond the Numbers? What are the key lessons you want a reader to take away? How can someone listening, go back to their organisation and start to help people see beyon...