New UGP publication: Werk en Welzijn - maakt werk gelukkig?

The book Werk en Welzijn - maakt werk gelukkig? is now available online and open access at University of Groningen Press (UGP).

The book is written by Peter van der Meer.

About the book

This book answers the question of whether work makes people happy and which aspects of work bring people the most happiness. This is an important question because work is a big part of our lives. We argue why the pursuit of happiness is important and show that working people are happier than unemployed and disabled people, and that work does indeed make people happy.

In addition, we show that the level of happiness varies among workers. Remuneration plays a role in this, but it is certainly not the only factor. In addition to wages, the nature of the work is important. Work with a high degree of autonomy and participation, which makes use of the knowledge and skills of the worker and in which there are good relationships, makes people happiest. The perceived meaningfulness of the work should certainly not be overlooked either. However, care must be taken to ensure that the work does not become too stressful and result in burnout.

This book offers guidance for the government, employers, trade unions and workers on the design of work.