To Have Joy in the Workplace, There Must Be Justice for All

We all want to create spaces full of joy, fulfillment, and happiness. But how do we do that in a world that feels divided, uncertain, and at times far from joyful? For several years, our firm has been researching the best practices for building joy at work. We have learned about the importance of harmony, acknowledgment, impact, and purpose. But the COVID-19 pandemic and the persistent social injustice it exposed spurred us to think about joy at work around a new fulcrum: justice. Social movements like Black Lives Matter have put justice — and injustice — at the front of people’s minds. You can’t have joy without justice. That’s true at work, at home, and in the community.