by Joe Tassinari
4/29/14

"It's smart to be positive at work by generating a positive affect."

Positive affect and positivity are used interchangeably and represent the pleasant (e.g., feeing grateful, upbeat; expressing appreciation, liking).

Based on decades-long studies, around the world, with thousands of participants, utilizing replicable and peer-reviewed experiments here is what was discovered …

Fact: When humans are experiencing a positive affect they are:

• 170% more motivated
• 155% happier at work

• 150% happier with life in general
• 100% more engaged at work
• Love their jobs 80% more

• 40% more confidence

• 35% more productive


When people are upbeat and appreciative of the moment they want more of it. This seems logical and it is. What's exciting is that empirical data now confirms what we knew all along! Here are more findings:

Induced positive affect opens our minds:

• Widens the scope of attention
• Broadens behavioral range
• Increases intuition and creativity

Good feelings alter people’s bodily systems for the better:

• Speeds recovery from cardiovascular trauma
• Alters frontal brain asymmetry
• Increases immune function

Frequent positive affect induces better health:

• Resilience to adversity
• Increased happiness
• Psychological growth
• Lower levels of cortisol by 23% (stress hormone)
• Reduced inflammatory responses to stress
• Reductions in physical pain
• Resistance to rhinoviruses
• Reductions in stroke
• There is a clear link between frequent positive affect and longevity!

Because a positive affect accumulates and compounds over time, positivity transforms individuals for the better making them healthier, more socially integrated, knowledgeable, effective, and resilient.

Within business teams positivity generates a smart workplace:

• Greater behavioral variability with moment-to-moment interactions
• Broader information processing strategies
• Greater variability in perspectives
• Organizational resilience in the face of threat

Positivity produces future health and well-being. Because the effects of positivity accumulate and compound over time, it leads to healthier, more socially integrated, knowledgeable, effective and resilient colleagues.

Joe Tassinari is the founder of Business Works and developer of Positive Workplace Training. His professional focus is creating engaging workplaces where workers have the opportunity to be their best among a united team. Feel free to contact Joe with comments or questions.

Special thanks to Dr. Martin Seligman, Dr. Barbara Frederickson, Dr. Marcial Losada and all the researchers who have dedicated themselves to discovering ways for our workplaces to foster peace and joy towards a positive world. 

Positivity Research Data:  Penn   UNC (click on Fredrickson & Losada 2005)   APA  About.com