By Esther Onyegbula

Docenti Global Business School, DGBS, has emphasised workplace happiness as a strategic driver of productivity and organisational performance, as it hosted a Business Excellence Programme under its MBA Human Resources framework.

The programme, themed “The Happy Workplace: Helping Employees Connect Their Daily Tasks to a Larger Meaningful Mission,” brought together academics, corporate leaders and HR professionals to examine how emotionally healthy work environments enhance engagement, leadership effectiveness and output.

Delivering the keynote address, Associate Professor and Dean of the School of Human Resource Development Management at Thailand’s National Institute of Development Administration, NIDA, Professor Juthamas Keawpijit, said her research since 2012 has shown that happiness at work significantly impacts productivity and employee commitment.

She disclosed that she conducted a year-long study of 102 organisations across Thailand to understand what drives workplace happiness.

“Back then, I studied 102 organisations. We did this to gather enough data on how the workspace is being handled. I spent a whole year visiting these organisations across Thailand,” she said.

According to her, findings revealed that about 20 per cent of employees in the surveyed organisations were unhappy in their roles.

“I carried out a survey asking questions like: ‘What makes them happy in their workspace? What kind of things do they do that make them happy at work? What are the key success factors?’ Among these 102 organisations, about 20 per cent were no longer happy with their jobs,” she added.

Professor Keawpijit described happiness as fluid rather than constant, noting that emotional wellbeing can fluctuate due to workplace dynamics and leadership challenges.

“I think happiness is like a snapshot. I don’t think everyone can be happy every day. Sometimes you feel down; sometimes you feel the world is not fair. This happens in our lives from time to time, especially during midlife crisis or when you become a manager,” she said.

She explained that her research evolved into what is now known as the Being, Becoming and Belonging Model, a framework built on three pillars aimed at fostering workplace happiness.

“If you are in the right place, under the right leadership, and in the right job, you are going to be very happy in the workplace,” she stated.

Highlighting the practical impact of the model, she revealed that the Happy Workplace Framework has been implemented within Thailand’s prison system, yielding positive outcomes.

“We have implemented the Happy Workplace Framework in Thai prisons, and we have been able to get good results. The prisoners are more relaxed, and this has led to more productivity,” she said.

Earlier in her introduction, Holland Keawpijit, a PhD candidate, noted that NIDA’s School of Human Resource Development Management is marking its 35th anniversary, describing it as “a really great journey, learning with international experts.”

She stressed that despite advancements in artificial intelligence, human qualities such as empathy and emotional intelligence remain irreplaceable.

“Even AI cannot replace human features like empathy and emotional intelligence,” she said.

Speaking at the event, Dean of Docenti Global Business School and Vice President of Bodhisattva University, Professor Pradit Withisuphakorn, commended the keynote speaker’s expertise, describing her as an outstanding scholar and consultant.

“If you want to have a successful workplace in any part of the world, you have to contact Professor Juthamas. She is the best option for good consulting,” he said, expressing hope that she would visit Nigeria soon.

Executive Principal of DGBS, Professor Humphrey Akanazu, in his closing remarks, described workplace happiness as a growing frontier in human resource development in Nigeria.

“Happiness in the workspace is a new area of concentration in HR development, and I’m confident that Nigeria needs this more,” he said.

He particularly referenced the prison case study as evidence of the framework’s practical value, noting that the approach led to increased productivity and improved emotional stability among inmates.
The programme was moderated by Stephen Abah, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Crown Pay.

The Business Excellence Programme formed part of DGBS’s MBA HR curriculum, reinforcing the institution’s focus on leadership, innovation and practical business transformation through its global faculty network and industry-driven programmes.