When I talk about happiness inside work environment and how the organizational culture influences it and foster it, I receive three kind of reactions:

1. The most smiles and looks at me saying in their minds «oh this guy is a dreamer, it is very romantic; nice but don’t works)»;
2. Mmm, happiness is cool, but is very subjective;
3. You can’t make happy to everyone, any effort to reach it are waste.

My answers in the most of cases are starting with the premise that there’s no a balance between work and life, everything is life; and is important that people feel confortable and engaged with their work (not necessarily it involves stay all time in the office). Happiness is a serious business.

In this point, the people tell me: «each individual is motivated by different things; happiness for me is different from happiness for her/him». I agree with that (intrinsic desires), it’s true. For instance, a dev is motivated for technical challenges, a project manager is motivated for deliver success projects, a boss is motivated when there’s profits, I’m motivated when I’m reading and talking about happiness, culture and management in my social networks from my home, and so on. They say me: «You can’t make happy to everyone, isn’t practical. It’s very expensive. There’s no tangible benefits.», etc, etc.

I have some troubles for answering to that. I think that a workspace is a space for diversity and all time I think about «what is the contribution of your workspace to make feel people happier?», about values and organizational culture; but I feel that my arguments are not enough.

How could I answer these questions? How could you answer these questions? What another arguments can I use?

I think that companies in my country need a new approach for management and care for the people, and I want help them.

Thanks so much.