Happier at Work

Happier at Work: The Power of Love to Transform the Workplace is a book about our ability to create work cultures where we can thrive.  Too many of our workplaces currently reflect a social system in which fear and suspicion of others too often trumps knowledge and compassion.  This cultural climate of negativity, fear, divisiveness and self-interest has created a lot of pain for a lot of people. This book addresses this pain openly and directly, sharing practices and attitudes that will positively impact your life at work daily.  It is possible to shift your current situation, and discover how open hearts and minds can create workplaces full of engagement, collaboration, creativity and joy.

Why Love? Love is an expansive emotion that opens us up.  When your behavior is inspired by the emotion of love and connection rather than the fear and constriction that often dominates at work, your opened state of minds is more curious, creative, collaborative and compassionate.  We reap an outpouring and sharing of ideas and innovation when we no longer feel shut down or afraid to share our talents.

Today’s workplaces can only thrive if we discover and implement strategies that reduce and manage stress and encourage flexible thinking and open communication, allowing our businesses to prosper in these time of uncertainty, global competition, resource depletion, and an ever-growing knowledge economy.  Companies such as Aetna, Goldman Sachs, BlackRock, General Mills, Green Mountain Coffee, SAP. And others have implemented mindfulness programs, and as a result they’re experiencing a happier and healthier workforce that is more focused, less stressed and more productive.  The ways in which mindfulness and love and compassionate engagement can work to improve our lives and livelihood is the next frontier in business practice.  Love is the emotion that opens our hearts and connects us to each other and to the greater good, and it’s what needed to core the dysfunctions of the modern workplace.

This is a book for our times and the future of business – offering clear methods for reducing stress, improving relationships and performance, and even re-wiring the brain!

—Michael Foster Founder and Chairman, Human Capital Institute, and CEO of Id8TE

You are the key to this change.  By applying the simple practices of mindfulness and compassion included in this book, you can change your habits, reactive patterns, and even the way your brain is wired!  Your growing self-awareness will allow you to gain greater emotional intelligence, handle difficult conversations, face and overcome your fears, and learn to relax and experience happiness.  Your increasing personal confidence will make you a better leader and co-worker, and your example can inspire collaboration and communication beyond hope and fear.  You will be motivated by the real-life stories of successful companies that manage through love and joy, helping you to create a compassionate culture where you work.

Click here to listen to audios of selected practices from Happier at Work.

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“In Happier at Work, Gayle Van Gils has offered us a blueprint for creating work cultures where everyone can thrive. This book points the way to love your work again, and lead successfully and open-heartedly in our challenging times.”

—Susan Piver
New York Times best-selling author of Start Here Now, and Founder, Open Heart Project.

“Thousands of us show up a work each day looking for happiness and too often we are left unfulfilled. If you want to awaken the transformative power of love, wisdom and mindfulness in your daily work, read this book.”

—Michael Carroll
Author of Awake at Work and The Mindful Leader

“I highly recommend this book! Happier at Work is an essential and timely guide brimming with insights, a depth of experience and backed up by science. You can achieve and healthier and happier workforce! Gayle Van Gils illuminates the path.”

—Elisha Goldstein
PhD, Author of Uncovering Happiness

“This book has a lot to offer the frustrated Dilbert’s of Corporate America, and should be on every leader’s “Must Read” list!

—Steve Raymund
Chairman, former CEO, Tech Data

“In Happier at Work, Gayle Van Gils uses a lifetime of experience teaching mindfulness and leadership training to deliver crucial tools to the workplace. Beyond just teaching mindfulness as a path to stress relief, her ideas show us how to be the sort of person who enjoys each day, that  confident and loving colleague that coworkers actually want to be around.”

—Ethan Nichtern
Author of The Road Home

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People in US workplace who are disengaged and stressed

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Employee engagement in the US

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Employees who report feeling “overwhelmed” at work