4 Ways to Instill More Optimism at Work, According to a Happiness Expert

When I entered the corporate workforce over 30 years ago, women still wore pantyhose out of an egg-shaped container, fax machines were the latest technology and the message about how to succeed was clear – work hard, and non-stop. And my Gen X-self did just that.

My benchmark for success as an entry-level PR person at Days Inns of America was arriving in the office each morning before the senior vice president of marketing showed up at 7:00a. As the big boss on our floor, he noticed those things. Then I’d work intently at my desk until he departed around dinner, taking home a stack of work each night. No wonder I ended up stressed, overweight and exhausted with a quarter-life crisis.

Now, the landscape and stakes of success are different. Most leaders understand that employee engagement is important to drive business success. People recognize that the well-being of their team members matters when it comes to innovation and productivity. Optimism, a concept most people didn’t think about in typical corporate environments, has been proven to positively impact employee satisfaction and ROI.

I define optimism as actively looking for the upside, even during challenging times. It is a belief of possibility, that things can and will get better. When you instill optimism into your workplace, it can transform your culture and your bottom line.

Brian Dubow, a Certified Happiness Trainer and Founder of Hit of Happiness, agrees.

“Leaders play a pivotal role in fostering a positive environment that enhances productivity and well-being across generations,” said Dubow. “A forward-looking, hopeful mindset of optimism not only drives employee engagement but also helps businesses thrive through change and adversity.”

A Quest for Purpose

With his CPA and master’s in accounting, Dubow began his career in New York with Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC) in Deals Consulting, advising clients on M&A and financial reporting. He achieved professional success but struggled to find balance in day-to-day life.

“Society told me that money, power, and success would make me happy,” he explains. “But the reality is that I was working 80 hours a week, on a plane every Monday through Thursday and not feeling that great sense of meaning or purpose in my day-to-day.”

Dubow decided to dedicate a year of his life to studying the science of happiness under thought leader Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar and became a Certified Happiness Trainer. He moved into the Human Capital space at PwC, leveraging his knowledge of happiness to help motivate, retain and incentivize their employees.

Determined to better understand how happiness positively impacts leaders and businesses overall, Dubow completed his MBA at UCLA with a focus on Entrepreneurship and Leadership Development. Today he educates people and companies on the science of happiness and helps them live more intentional and fulfilling lives through coaching, enterprise consulting, speaking, community events and weekly content through his Hit of Happiness practice.

Dubow also enjoys teaching a group coaching class at UCLA Anderson called Alive, which helps students build a life that makes them feel alive through sessions on success, values, superpowers, prioritization, intuition, and more.

It’s never too late to instill more optimism in your people, teams and organization.

Here are four helpful tips for infusing your workplace with optimism from Dubow:

1. Exemplify Optimism

When it comes to optimism, consistency is key. Leaders who choose a positive outlook even during difficult times serve as role models for others and make optimism contagious.

“Optimism isn’t just a mindset; it’s a culture,” says Dubow. “Leaders set the tone, and when they choose positivity, it resonates throughout the entire organization.”

2. Tailor Optimism to Specific Generations

Understand what each generation of your workforce values and adapt your leadership approach to meet their expectations. Dubow says that each generation perceives and reacts to optimism differently in the workplace. Baby Boomers and Generation X tend to associate optimism with stability and long-term security, while Millennials and Gen Z view optimism through a lens of change, inclusion, and purpose.

“Older generations often look for signs of job security and company loyalty as indicators of optimism,” Dubow notes. “They want to know that their efforts will be rewarded over time. In contrast, younger workers find optimism in workplaces that offer inclusivity, growth opportunities, and alignment with their personal values.”

Dubow recommends more structured pathways for older employees that demonstrate stability and recognition, while encouraging innovation, flexibility, and personal development opportunities for younger staff. “It’s not one-size-fits-all,” he adds. “Leaders need to recognize what motivates each generation and tailor their optimism strategy accordingly.”

3. Practice Transparent Communication

Keeping communication open and honest helps establish mutual trust, which is essential for fostering optimism.

“People follow leaders they believe in, and optimism is built on trust. When employees know you have their best interests at heart and you’re transparent about both challenges and opportunities, they start to believe that better days are ahead,” Dubow explains.

4.  Celebrate Wins

Regularly acknowledging achievements, no matter how small, creates a culture of success. Dubow emphasizes the importance of celebrating progress, however small, to keep the momentum of optimism alive.

“It’s about making sure that no success goes unnoticed,” he says. “When you celebrate wins, it reminds your team that their efforts matter and good things are happening.”

How do you instill optimism into your workplace? What impact has optimism had on your professional and/or personal life?