Matt Phelan, co-founder of The Happiness Index, shared key findings from the Global Workplace Happiness Report 2026 at a Work.Life Leaders Circle session: 12 years and 250 million data points show the top driver of workplace happiness is relationships, not perks, and younger workers are less happy than prior generations mostly because of a lack of genuine human connection.

Leaders should focus on the conditions for happiness - psychological safety, real relationships, meaningful work - rather than chasing a score. Irrational Capital uses employee happiness as an investment signal and has been outperforming the S&P 500, showing the business case is no longer soft.