The happier the ship, the safer it is

ARE you happy in your work? For readers of The Business Times who may have missed it, March 22 was International Day of Happiness. The idea of designating a day to celebrate happiness may seem a bit strange, frivolous even.

We live in cynical times and it is easy dismiss this initiative as a stunt. That would be a mistake. Generally speaking a happy workforce performs better and crucially, at sea, is safer as an unhappy force can be a signal of things going fundamentally wrong.

The intention behind the Day of Happiness is, the organisers say, "to encourage an inclusive approach to economic growth that promotes the happiness and well-being of people".