Welcome to the New Year and a new series of lessons. I’m calling this series: What the Workplace Needs Now! If you’re a seasoned (read “older”) human, you’ll remember the song with that title, made popular by Dionne Warwick. Not surprisingly, the lyrics are just as relevant today as they were in the late 60’s.
What’s up for our first edition in the series? What the Workplace Needs Now is — JOY!
Our spirit is gutted
With all the workplace problems — low wages, high costs, poor engagement — you’re hanging your proverbial hat on Joy? Yup!
In my lifetime, I have never felt so distraught about the state of affairs of our country — the chaos, the cruelty, the corruption. The 3 Cs, as former Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel called them, are dangerous on so many levels. In their most obvious impact, they threaten our democracy, the freedoms and rights we have cherished for nearly 250 years. They also break down our communities, fanning disconnection and mistrust at best, and emboldening hate and violence at worst. But, it is the gutting of our individual spirit that in this moment concerns me most.
What is spirit? I see spirit and soul differently. Soul is the person — mind, will, emotions, but spirit gives life — it is the core of our being. Without spirit, there is no hope, no meaning, no life.
Without spirit, we can barely exist, let alone work. And, as I’ve said many times before, what happens outside the workplace affects what happens inside the workplace. The way we treat one another, and the way we see others treated, in our communities directly influences how we treat and relate to one another at work.
Besides how we interact, we care less and are therefore less engaged in our work and with our colleagues. According to Gallop, engagement among U.S. employees dropped from 36% in 2020 to 31% in 2024, and it remained at that level in 2025. The most significant decline in engagement is among younger workers, with Gen X at 29%, Millennials at 30% and Gen Z at 32%. The declines are attributed to poor communication and lack of respect.
Look at those stats again. They are essentially saying that only around one-third of all US workers are engaged. That means that at least two-thirds of all workers are disengaged to some degree. That’s stunning and terrifying at the same time — especially for company leaders!
Why we need JOY
Although related, joy is not happiness. A VeryWell Mind article describes the difference: “Happiness is a temporary feeling that happens because of outside events or achievements. Joy comes from inside us and lasts longer, while happiness is often caused by things that happen around us.” Joy is internal and enduring; happiness is external and temporary.
I remember as a child of around twelve years of age, going with our church’s youth group to visit residents of Hamburg State School & Hospital, an institution for children with profound physical and mental health conditions and challenges. The older youth brought their guitars and we sang songs. The one song we sang was “I got that joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart!” The last thing on my mind and in my heart was joy. I was afraid.
These residents, mostly other children, looked and acted so differently from those in our group. They communicated with words, often incomprehensible, and with their bodies and their behavior. These strangers had no boundaries of personal space. They hugged me. They smiled constantly. I wanted to leave, I stood as close to the wall as I could, trying to distance myself. But, we were not leaving, so I was forced to engage, which I did, but in my way — I observed.
What was I seeing? Beyond what I perceived to be “weird” behavior and strange looking and acting kids? I suspended my judgement. I looked carefully at their playfulness and their kindness. I saw their joy. Our youth group scheduled a return visit a few months later — I decided to go. This time, still feeling my awkwardness, I chose to engage. I accepted their hugs, exchanged smiles, sang songs. I got closer to experiencing their joy.
We, the people, need to deliberately and authentically create and manifest and share JOY! We need joy in our lives, so it can be at our work. We start by self-care, we continue with living in gratitude. We strive for perspective and balance, so we pause to respond so we don’t react. Responding is thoughtful and deliberate and minimizes occurrences of miscommunication and misunderstanding.
I never forgot what the kids at Hamburg taught me about enduring, unfettered, contagious joy — it makes us more spiritual, more connected, more human!
Next Column: What the Workplace Needs Now — Part 2!
Dr. Santo D. Marabella, The Practical Prof, who has been writing Office Hours columns since 2012, is a professor emeritus of management at Moravian University and hosts the podcast “Lessons with The Practical Prof”. His latest book, “The Lessons of Caring” is written to inspire and support caregivers (available in paperback and eBook). Website: ThePracticalProf.com; Facebook: ThePracticalProf; Instagram: @ThePracticalProf
SOURCES & FURTHER READING:
Gallop Engagement Survey
Experts Reveal the One Key Difference Between Joy and Happiness
Experiencing Your Multiple Domains of Joy
