Does job happiness translate to life happiness?

A new study has looked into the long-term relationship between job and life satisfaction, finding that personal happiness is the major driver for a satisfying work life.

Happy job, happy life? That was the question explored in a recent study published in the Journal of Organizational Behaviour, challenging the traditional outlook that intertwines job satisfaction and its influence on life satisfaction.

A study conducted by researchers from the US, Germany and South Australia combined data from more than 160,000 people across multiple global studies, highlighting how the intertwinement of the life and job satisfaction develop and change over time.

According to the study, individuals with higher life satisfaction were 32 per cent more likely to experience increased job satisfaction over time – in comparison, although job satisfaction does have a positive effect on future life satisfaction, it is somewhat “weaker and diminishes” in the long term.

“Organisations that focus solely on job satisfaction initiatives may be missing a fundamental component of employee happiness,” said author Christopher Wiese, assistant psychology professor at Georgia Institute of Technology – highlighting the role of holistic wellbeing during business and professional endeavours.

“By prioritising overall wellbeing strategies – including mental health support, work/life balance initiatives, and personal development – organisations can foster a more engaged and satisfied workforce.”

Another contributor to the study, Christian Dormann, professor of Business Education and Management from Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Germany and an adjunct research professor at the University of South Australia, claimed that psychologists have long held the belief that job happiness is a direct driver for over happiness – pointing out that the study discovered otherwise.

“However, our research shows that the opposite is more powerful. If employers truly want to enhance workplace satisfaction, they need to invest in employees’ broader wellbeing,” Dormann said.

“This study provides a compelling case for businesses to adopt a people-first approach. If employees are happy in their personal lives, they bring that positivity to work. It’s a cycle that organisations can help nurture.”

For businesses and employers, the researchers gave numerous recommendations where job satisfaction can create that balance and push to improve overall happiness:

• Implementing flexible work arrangements to support employees’ personal commitments.
• Encouraging mental health and wellness programs to improve overall life satisfaction.
• Providing opportunities for personal and professional growth that extend beyond job-related tasks.
• Fostering a workplace culture that values employees’ lives outside of work.