Joy Works

Joy at work—why settle for anything less?

In Joy Works: Empowering Teams in the New Era of Work, Alex Liu delivers an engaging blueprint for ensuring people feel safe and inspired at work. Liu, the managing partner and chairman of Kearney, asks, "Why would we settle for anything less than joy at work?" In the book, you'll find a step-by-step action plan for approaching joy at work using the three key drivers that determine employee happiness—people, praise, and purpose—and learn how to implement that plan for maximum results and maximum joy.

The author demonstrates how to create more joy for your people at work, in both virtual and in-person environments, as well as how to incorporate joyfulness even in periods of dramatically heightened stress. He calls on his years of conversations with leaders around the world, both as an advisor to executives and through his popular podcast, Joy@Work. Readers will learn from a diverse collection of leaders, from psychologists, academics, athletes, nonprofit and board leaders, and a Broadway producer, to leaders at companies including HPE, Cisco, T-Mobile, SAP, and UPS. In the dialogues and research, readers will also find:

• An introduction to "ikigai," a Japanese concept meaning "reason for being"—a framework we can all use to find joy and meaning in our work
• An investigation into the link between social justice and joy, using conversations with leaders who have committed to making social progress a priority
• A new perspective on how the next generation will view joy at work, the Great Reflection, and the shifting balance of power in work cultures
• In-depth discussions about people, purpose, and praise: the three key elements in building a joyful work experience
• A call for more reflective leadership—a new approach to power leaders through uncertain and challenging times

Joy Works is an essential handbook for anyone who wants to create more joy in their work — the leaders who want to shift corporate cultures, managers who are facing pressures to innovate, young people who are adamant that they can have a life and a career that's centered around joy and meaning, and anyone who thinks "joy at work" is a near-term possibility, not an oxymoron. This guide to the changing reality and opportunity of work belongs in the libraries of anyone interested in creating a more engaging and productive virtual, hybrid, or in-person workspace.

Let's build more joy.

Acknowledgments xi

Foreword xiii

Introduction 1

Why joy matters to me 1

Joy at work 3

People, praise, and purpose 4

Joy, justice, and a better world 5

The future of joy at work 6

Who you’ll hear from in this book 7

Who this book is for 9

Chapter 1 Why Business Leaders Should Prioritize Joy at Work 11

Joy is your biggest business opportunity 11

Joy powers execution 13

Joy is critical for all kinds of business 15

Joy is the foundation for many key business metrics 15

Chapter 2 What the Research Tells Us About Joy 21

The joy gap is real 21

The joy gap is growing 23

We know what triggers joy at work 24

We know what’s holding us back from joy 26

Section One The Three Drivers of Joy at Work 29

Chapter 3 People 31

Create belonging: It matters more than money 33

Create connection points 35

Be a people-focused leader 38

Think like a gardener and create “human magic” 40

Chapter 4 Praise 43

Praise autonomous work 44

Pair praise with feedback 45

Focus on the quality of praise, not the quantity 46

Praise individuals, not just groups 46

Encourage people to show appreciation for their colleagues 47

Use praise to underscore impact 48

Chapter 5 Purpose 51

Understand your ikigai (a reason for being) 52

Find your zest 54

Rethink the corporate purpose statement 55

Mind the gap 56

Personalize purpose 57

Section Two Joy in a Post-2020 World: How to Create More Joy 63

Chapter 6 Joy in the Hard Times 65

Embrace change 66

Accept that failure is inevitable 67

Acknowledge your mistakes and get real 67

Have the courage to be a beginner 69

Take time to reflect 71

Double down on purpose 71

Keep chasing your goosebumps 73

Chapter 7 Safe, Seen, Supported, Inspired 75

Safe 75

Seen 79

Supported 81

Inspired 84

Chapter 8 Virtual and Hybrid Work 89

Be aware of how remote work is different than in-person work 90

Make conscious decisions about where you’ll work 91

Find new ways to build connection 93

Rethink how you measure performance 95

Stay open to change 95

Chapter 9 Social Justice and Joy 97

Joy and justice for all 98

How do we push “social justice” into the mainstream of business? 101

Hope for the future 112

Section Three What’s Next for Joy at Work? 115

Chapter 10 The Joy of Innovation 117

Leapfrog your legacy 117

Look for new ideas in unexpected places 118

Stay at the edge 120

Empower people to innovate 121

Look at purpose through the lens of innovation 121

Chapter 11 The Next Generation of Joy at Work 123

Pass the baton 123

Join the “Great Resignation”—or is it the “Great Reflection”? 124

Shift the balance of power 127

Keep your promises 128

Put your values into action 129

Make culture a nonnegotiable 129

Rethink old trade-offs 130

Accept change as a constant 133

Conclusion 135

About the Author 137

Index 139

ALEX LIU is Managing Partner and Chairman at Kearney, a leading global consulting partnership. Recognized by Consulting magazine as a global Top 25 Consultant and by the Global Diversity List as one of the Top 10 Senior Executives, he is also a top-ranked consulting CEO and trusted advisor to CEOs and boards. A regular contributor to the World Economic Forum, he has been featured in the Harvard Business Review, The Financial Times, The Economist, CNBC, and Bloomberg. He regularly consults with business and public sector leaders on matters of leadership, culture, justice, and joy, and hosts an award-winning podcast, Joy@Work.

In Joy Works: Empowering Teams in the New Era of Work, veteran business leader Alex Liu delivers an engaging blueprint for making people feel safe and inspired at work. The book poses a bold and provocative question: Why should we settle for anything less than joy at work? A step-by-step action plan for achieving joy at work follows, relying on three key drivers of employee happiness—people, praise, and purpose. You’ll learn to implement that plan for maximum results and maximum joy.

The author clearly demonstrates how to create more joy for yourself and your team members at work, in both virtual and in-person environments, and how to incorporate joyfulness even in periods of high stress and tumultuous change. You’ll learn from a diverse collection of leaders, including psychologists, academics, athletes, business and nonprofit leaders, and even a Broadway producer, as they walk you through the fundamentals of making work as joyful and meaningful as possible.

With in-depth discussions about the central elements of building a joyful work experience and a deep dive into the Japanese concept of “ikigai”—or “reason for being”—the book links modern perspectives on the shifting balance of power in work cultures with reflective leadership that powers companies through uncertain and challenging times.

An essential handbook for anyone who wants to create as much joy at work as possible, Joy Works will earn a place in the hearts of leaders who want to shift corporate cultures, managers facing pressure to innovate, and young people adamant that they can have a life and career that’s centered around joy and meaning.

PRAISE FOR JOY WORKS

“Alex Liu’s brilliance as a leader stems from his intentionality in creating a culture of belonging, connection, and purpose. Who wouldn’t want to work with and learn from a leader whose mission is to bring joy to the workplace?”

— Jon Levy, Behavioral Scientist; New York Times bestselling author; Founder, Influence Labs

“I always believed that our role as leaders is to create and foster an environment where every individual can perform at their maximum potential. This book has inspired me to now believe our role is to bring joy!”

— Domenic Pilla, Former President and CEO, McKesson Canada; Former President and CEO, Shoppers Drug Mart

“Alex Liu brings joy back into the workplace. Alex and I agree that simply doing work to get paid or complete a task is no longer sufficient, that we must find meaning in our work and lead with humanity. Leaders who prioritize this idea can unleash ‘human magic’ and create irrationally good outcomes. I hope all leaders and their teams can be inspired by Alex’s book and embrace the idea that creating joy is an important part of our everyday roles.”

— Hubert Joly, Former Chairman and CEO, Best Buy; bestselling author, The Heart of Business