Idea 8 - Want to be happier this afternoon? Eat lunch with a colleague

In 2014, the University of Chicago did an experiment on the Chicago train system. They asked commuters to either sit in silence on their journey or speak to the stranger sitting next to them.

The commuters predicted that they would have a much more pleasant commute if they sat by themselves reading the news or checking their phone. Yet, the opposite happened. Those commuters who engaged in conversation with a stranger reported a significantly more positive commute.

Sit alone at your own peril

Later, the Chicago train company approached Nicholas Epley, the author of the research, for his advice on how to make train journeys a more pleasurable experience for their commuters. Epley suggested they reinstate the bar cars (carriages with bars in them) so that people could socialise more easily. The train authority replied that they couldn't do that, and they’d had to discontinue them in the past. Epley asked why, imagining it was because there was too much drunken behaviour. Their response?  They were too popular! 🤦

Even though people think that speaking to a stranger on a train could be the worst experience ever, having a conversation with someone you don’t know will make you, and the person you talk to, happier than you may think.

Why is connection important at work?

A study last year showed that loneliness is more damaging to your health than smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Since we spend the majority of our waking hours at work, it's therefore probably a good idea to regularly connect with our colleagues.

Connecting at work, though, has a much greater effect than just avoiding loneliness. Feeling that you belong in a community at work is one, if not the, most important driver of workplace happiness. Feeling connected to your colleagues will actually make you and your team feel happier.

In today's productivity-driven world, we tend to overlook the importance of community. Taking just 10 minutes to chat with colleagues about non-work-related topics may seem like sacrificing productivity in that very moment, but it will actually improve your work performance in the long run. By fostering connections, you'll build psychological safety, collaborate better, stay in your job for longer, and ultimately contribute to a happier environment for everyone.

This week’s tip:

Don’t eat your lunch at your desk or on the bench outside your office; sit with someone and have a conversation. Even though you think it will not be a pleasurable experience, research shows that both you and your colleague will leave your lunch break a little bit happier.

If you’re a business owner or team leader, make sure you have tables that are big enough for everyone, and encourage people to take lunch at the same time. Nudge your team to spend a little more time together than they already are.

If your team is remote, provide a space for your team to get together informally. Scheduled socials are usually a bit painful so try opening Zoom rooms 10 minutes before a meeting or leaving it open 10 minutes after and encourage people just to drop in and chat.

Feeling a sense of belonging to a community is one of the key drivers of workplace happiness and fulfils the human needs for support and belonging.

Useful articles

A summary of the train study

The train study replicated in the UK for the BBC

Loneliness more dangerous than smoking

Oxford Uni study on key drivers of workplace happiness

Podcast with Nick Epley and Laurie Santos (very interesting - well worth a listen)

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If you’re new to the blog I recommend reading the first article in the series - what makes people happy at work. This will give you an overview of the basics of happiness in the workplace and the areas you need to address when looking at workplace wellbeing.

Next week … A little trick to give your team a feeling of purpose in their job.