(The following post is from my friend Hedinn (Héðinn) Sveinbjörnsson, MBA from Iceland - Steve)

The International Week of Happiness at Work - October 6th to 10th, 2025

Forget pumpkin spice season - October is bringing something spicier.

This year, it’s not about slogans. It’s about teams daring to do things differently - one honest conversation, one quirky experiment, one real change at a time.

3 Small Moves to Start Today

Why wait for October? Try these this week and see what happens:

• One-Minute Gratitude - Ask: “What actually went right this week?” (A surprisingly radical question in some workplaces.)

• Walk-and-Talk - If your meeting could’ve been a stroll, make it one.

• Flip the Agenda - Let your team decide what matters. Warning: it might not be your pet project.

Global Spotlight

🐕Denver, CHO

A Hyderabad tech startup just appointed a golden retriever - yes, really -as their Chief Happiness Officer.
According to co-founder Rahul Arepaka:

“He doesn’t code. He doesn’t care. He just shows up, steals hearts, and keeps the energy up. Also, we’re officially pet-friendly now. Best decision. BTW: He’s got the best perks in the company.”
(Economic Times)

The internet melted. Beyond the laughs, research shows pet-friendly offices reduce stress, improve morale, and strengthen retention. Denver might not write code, but he’s rewriting culture. Vuff.

A Surprising Mental Wellness Hack

Meanwhile, the Harvard Business Review recently published a practical guide: A Guide to Taking Better Breaks at Work.
The takeaway? Strategic short breaks - even just a few minutes to stretch, doodle, or step outside - aren’t productivity killers. They’re performance fuel.

No apps. No corporate wellness platforms. Just permission to pause. Radical, right?

Research Bite

Here’s your stat to drop in the next leadership meeting:

Companies in the top quartile of employee engagement have 23% higher profitability than those in the bottom quartile (Gallup).

• Translation: happiness at work isn’t fluffy - it’s fiscal.

• Also translation: if you still think this is “soft stuff,” you’re leaving money on the table.

❌ What Not to Do During IWoHaW

If your plan looks like this… maybe rethink:

• A pizza party and a hashtag (that no one remembers the day after)

• One motivational email from HR, then back to business as usual

• Free muffins in the morning + unpaid overtime in the evening

• Another “anonymous” survey that vanishes into the void

• A leadership selfie with the caption: “Our people are our greatest asset” (while turnover keeps climbing)

Provocative? Sure. But better to laugh now than cringe later.

A Provocative Question (or two)

• If your team is disengaged, is it really a “people problem” - or a leadership design flaw?

• What’s scarier: trying something new for one week, or repeating the same tired routines for another year?

Your Voice Belongs Here

“Happiness at work?” is a question you explore, not a slogan you sell. We’re opening the floor to stories, reflections, and experiments from around the world.

For now, just hit reply to this email

Coming Soon: Happiness at work? Global

We’re building something new: a global, listening-first hub where teams, leaders, and curious humans can share what happiness at work really means today.
No slogans. No glossy posters. Just real stories, practical tools, and bold ideas - collected from around the world and made useful within 30 days.

Stay tuned. The doors open soon.

Closing Note

October’s coming. Don’t just read about happiness at work - host it, test it, live it.
Block October 6th to 10th, 2025, in your calendar now.

Stay tuned - visit internationalweekofhappinessatwork.com for updates, and follow us on social media to be part of the countdown.