| 1 | Salazar-Altamirano et al. (2025a, 2025b, 2025c, 2025d) | México | Analyse and synthesise the scientific development of workplace happiness from 2010 to 2024 | Most of the studies analysed use a quantitative, cross-sectional design, using surveys and questionnaires as primary data collection methods. Research has predominantly focused on large companies in sectors such as banking, health care and education. Traditional theories such as positive psychology and the job demands-resources model continue to be widely used. The most commonly used dimensions to measure happiness at work include engagement, job satisfaction and emotional well-being. Key findings indicate that leadership styles, organisational culture and job autonomy significantly influence workplace happiness |
| 2 | Ravina-Ripoll et al. (2024a, 2024b) | Costa Rica | Analyse the concept of happiness management based on the empirical validation of the interactions between emotional wage, organisational justice and happiness at work | Emotional wage has a positive impact on happiness at work and that it mediates positively between organisational justice and happiness at work |
| 3 | Valentim et al. (2025) | Portugal | (a) to characterize a sample of workers regarding sociodemographic and professional variables; (b) to determine the levels of happiness and positive mental health status; (c) to measure and compare organisational happiness, functional happiness, positive mental health and productivity perception between groups; (d) to determine the correlations between positive mental health, organisational happiness, functional happiness, years in organisation and function and productivity perception; and (e) to identify predictive factors associated with overall happiness | Positive mental health was positively associated with both organisational happiness domains and function and with perceived productivity (p < 0.001). Using a multiple linear regression model, we found four predictors of overall happiness at work: age, perception of productivity, seniority and positive mental health factors (personal satisfaction, autonomy and problem-solving and self-actualisation) (R2 = 0.249) |
| 4 | Martínez-Arvizu et al. (2025a, 2025b, 2025c) | México | Analysing the relationship between digital innovation, innovation culture, creativity and happiness at work in the context of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Mexico | The synergy between digital innovation, innovation culture and creativity is crucial for fostering happiness at work, although the effect varies depending on company size. In small companies, organisational flexibility facilitates the direct effect of digitalisation on creativity and happiness at work. However, in medium-sized companies, a stronger focus on innovation culture is required to maximise these benefits |
| 5 | Barbosa et al. (2023) | Portugal | To bring to the fore the perception of employees on the effects of happiness at work, considering workers themselves, the customers they deal with and ultimately the company they work for | Even without a formal strategy in place, when employees are happy, SMEs experience clear benefits in work performance and outcomes. Motivation is the main result of workplace happiness, driving greater energy, creativity, engagement and productivity at both individual and organisational levels. Employee–customer relationships improve, as happier workers show more empathy, support and availability, leading to greater customer satisfaction, trust and loyalty. Employees take initiative to exceed customer expectations, which strengthens customer retention and boosts profitability. Happiness at work also leads to stronger employee commitment and focus on company goals, creating a deeper emotional connection to the organisation – even in the absence of an explicit happiness strategy |
| 6 | Feitor and Borges (2022) | Portugal | Analyse the relationship between levels of happiness at work and psychological trauma in nurses and its variation as a function of sociodemographic/professional variables | The average score on the abbreviated scale of happiness at work was 4.25 (±1.05), while the average score on the revised scale of impactful events was 24.8 (±13.9). Gender, dependents and leisure activities influenced job satisfaction, while age, children, leisure activities, professional experience and working hours affected psychological trauma. A weak negative correlation was found between job satisfaction and psychological trauma (r = −0.270). Overall, nurses reported moderate job happiness and low psychological trauma, indicating that higher levels of happiness may serve as a protective factor against psychological trauma |
| 7 | Mendoza-Ocasal et al. (2022) | Colombia | Analyse the factors that affect subjective well-being in the workplace and their importance for business management | The findings identify two key factors influencing workers’ perceptions of quality of life and workplace happiness among 302 employees. Component 1 reflects motivational or intrinsic factors, while Component 2 represents maintenance or organisational factors. Both components show significant correlations, with 67.4% of the variance in quality of life and workplace happiness explained by these combined factors. This indicates an interconnection between motivation and organisational conditions, mediated by individual perceptions. Employees place higher value on organisational aspects (Component 2) when assessing quality of work life, whereas motivational factors (Component 1) are more relevant to workplace happiness. Overall, well-being at work is determined by quality of work life, which is primarily shaped by organisational factors |
| 8 | Sender et al. (2021) | Brasil | Propose a different approach to measuring happiness at work, using mixed methods to address the complexity of the phenomenon | The results indicate that the proposed approach overcomes the limitations of traditional questionnaires by capturing the complexity and subjectivity of job satisfaction without restricting the topics to predefined questions |
| 9 | Sánchez and Veliz (2024) | Brasil | Analyse scientific output in relation to happiness at work, showing the impact it has on scientific output in the Scopus, SciELO and Web of Science databases | Scientific output per year is increasing, and more and more countries are interested in improving the well-being and working conditions of their workers to increase their job satisfaction |
| 10 | Ruiz-Rodríguez et al. (2023) | España | Analyse the role of neuroleadership in the application of happiness management | It is observed that the consideration of the management of emotions and cognitive processes in the work environment is attracting interest to develop a leadership focused on making better workplaces. A new line of action focused on the management of happiness is emerging. In addition, neuroleadership is presented as a new way of understanding management |
| 11 | Martínez-Arvizu et al. (2025a, 2025b, 2025c) | México | Analyses the impact of happiness management on turnover intention, considering work stress as a mediating variable and evaluating the differences between public and private sector employees | The multigroup analysis confirms that the relationships between happiness management, work-related stress and turnover intention vary notably between public and private sectors. In the private sector, happiness management plays a more decisive role in reducing both stress and turnover intention, highlighting the importance of organisational well-being in contexts with lower job stability. In contrast, in the public sector, turnover intention appears to be more strongly influenced by work-related stress, likely due to factors such as bureaucracy and limited incentives |
| 12 | Ravina-Ripoll et al. (2021) | España | Design a structural equation modelling (SEM) to analyse the main critical dimensions of brand orientation to influence happiness in responsible and sustainable entities | Brand orientation has a positive and significant influence on happiness management in organisations |
| 13 | Rando-Cueto et al. (2023) | España | Analyse the concept of “Happiness management” in the scientific literature due to the growing interest in aspects related to happiness management in social and professional spheres, which has resulted in recent research | The positioning of Spain as a benchmark country in the international literature on “Happiness management” and the influence of COVID-19 on the spread and citation of publications stand out |
| 14 | Galvan-Vela et al. (2024) | México | Empirically analyse the relationships between organisational justice, job satisfaction and organisational commitment with job satisfaction and turnover intention among teachers in Mexico | Job satisfaction, organisational commitment and organisational justice are interrelated among teachers, and secondly, these variables positively explain job happiness and negatively explain the intention to rotate |
| 15 | Galiano-Coronil and Blanco-Moreno (2024) | Ecuador | Examine how elements of social responsibility and happiness management can be effectively integrated into corporate strategies to improve employee satisfaction and retention, especially during periods of high turnover, such as the Great Resignation | The main results indicate that both current and former employees highly value a supportive and positive work environment and career growth opportunities. However, significant disadvantages include overwork, long hours and poor management practices. The study highlights that the critical factors influencing employee satisfaction and retention include a positive work environment, opportunities for career growth and effective management practices |