Looking at the happy side (or not) of organizations

Companies are always looking to differentiate themselves and thus be able to be more successful in the competition in which they operate in an increasingly open and globalized market. Therefore, although with caution, new approaches and trends often turn into fashions. And as in many fashions it becomes more important what it looks like than what it is. Today concerns about well-being and prevention of psychosocial risks have reached some companies. But from the application of plans with scientific evidence to the promotion of healthy workplaces, with a guaranteed return on investment, we have quickly jumped to ocasional happiness initiatives. After some time we have forgotten what gave rise to the concern and effort, and as it is fashionable we see everyone doing the same kind of initiatives that promise happy workers, indeed more like marketing than reality, as happened with the old FNAT - National Federation for Joy at Work , here in Portugal, before April 25, 1974. Sometimes well-being was replaced by wellness too. They are different but often confused. In a while, we do the math, and we realize that there are no expected results and we throw the baby out with the bath water, that is, we stop investing in what is critical for people's health at work and for more sustainable organizations (or we never get to invest) at the same time as we change of fashion. Let's look to what psychology and psychologists have to say and use what science can give us to work and live better in our organizations that are made of behaviors, emotions, motivations and decisions. Looking at the well-being side of organizations.

Psychology and climate crisis

Signing the Lisbon Resolution

For too many years psychology has been too much away from environment issues. Even when psychology is used psychologists are not there applying it. As citizens, as professionals or as scientists we have to stand up and advocate for psychology in climate change action, not only dealing with the psychological consequences of climate change but working on prevention, behaviour change and decision making processes.

F. Rodrigues, M. R. de Sousa, A. Sales e A. Evans

Last November, in Lisbon, more than 40 psychologists organizations meet to address climate change challenges and commit with a joint action and a resolution. The Summit on Psychology and Global Health was an historical event for psychologists around the world, but also for all citizens, because of all the benefits it can mean and bring to this fight. All organizations present their work on this field and their goals for the future.  Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Portugal's President, in his speech at the Summit, thanked the psychologists for their role in society and their contribution to tackle climate crisis, stressing that this is a task for all.

The report of this Summit will be delivered to United Nations Secretary General, António Guterres, and several other international institutions around the world.

We now have the responsibility to work together, with our behaviours and our knowledge, doing everything we can to advocate for the use of psychology and human behaviour scientific knowledge on this collective effort.