Happy Manifesto

Imagine a workplace where people are energized and motivated by being in control of the work they do.

Imagine they are trusted and given freedom, within clear guidelines, to decide how to achieve their results.

Imagine they are valued according to the work they do, rather than the number of hours they spend at their desk. In too many organizations, management is broken. In one global survey just 21 per cent of staff reported that they are fully engaged at their workplace. As Professor Gary Hamel of London Business School commented, "the other 79 per cent may be physically on the job, but they've left their enthusiasm and ingenuity at home."

The Happy Manifesto is a call for change - a call to look at management from the perspective of the people who are managed. Author, Henry Stewart, learned these lessons the hard way. In the 1980s he helped set up a newspaper only to have it fail 6 weeks later due to poor management. They hired talented people but, inadvertently, created a working environment where it was almost impossible for these highly capable individuals to succeed.

He came out of it determined to create a company that was both principled and effective, and a great place to work. That company is Happy Ltd., a training business. His Happy Computers division trains people in desktop software, making learning about computers an involving and enjoyable experience. His Happy People division helps organizations create great workplaces based on the ideas outlined in this book.

With fascinating anecdotes and useful advice, this book explains how to create an environment where people feel motivated to work and the financial benefits that come with a happy company culture. In The Happy Manifesto, Stewart explains what he's done right and wrong on his journey to create a company where people actually enjoy working and what he's learned along the way.