b'2023 CERC CONFERENCEKrismers philosophy on happiness isTEACHING HAPPINESS As it relates to the relocation industry, science-based: his interest lies in emergingKrismer will highlight what he callsKrismer says one of the things he would science and research that proves brain- value gratitude and appreciative inquiry.like to share at the CERC conference is power can be harnessed to engineer moreBecause of a negativity bias in business andhis unique perspective. Unlike many other positive outcomes in both business andpersonal lives today, people tend to focusindustries, he feels the relocation industry private lives. The field of positive psych- on areas of concern through a lens that isis still in a post-pandemic adjustment phase ology research has massively expandedleast productive in solving the problem.because of the tight labour market as well our understanding of human potential,While paying attention to that, we fail toas workers who are demanding hybrid and Krismer says. Most of this discovery hassee 10 other things that could have beenremote work locations. Krismer, however, happened in the last 15 years. We nowopportunities for improvement or greaterfeels that a reverse trend is starting to take know that happiness is not a lucky outcomehappiness or business productivity or rela- hold, with people returning, albeit slowly, resulting from a fortunate upbringing.tionship enhancement, notes Krismer.to the office. This, he emphasizes, is a Rather, happiness generally results fromMany people overcome negativity bias bygood thing for the relocation industry.skills we can all learn. happenstance, but because the science isKrismer cites the federal governments so good now, we can teach people how torecent negotiation with its unionized While its widely accepted that people wantdo it. workforce as an example of the building to be happy, and this happiness will makemomentum toward a return to the office their life better, Krismer finds it funny thatThis ability to learn happiness can be ofenvironment. Remote and hybrid work he needs to begin presentations by makingundeniable benefit in business, where theis going to remain in government, he a scientific argument proving the pres- quality of the culture and social relation- stresses, but it was very interesting that the ence of positive emotions can lead to moreships is so crucial to success. According toemployerthe governmentwas unwilling success. One of the weird ones I talk aboutKrismer, a 2018 Gallup Poll produced ato let that even be a part of active negotia-is that people have expanded peripheralpiece of data that showed that people whotions, especially with a workforce that had vision when theyre in a good mood. If youanswered in the affirmative about havingthem over a barrel. That shows that the think about it, these kinds of things can bea best friend at work were twice as likelyemphasis on having people available to far-reaching and hugely life changing. to say that theyre engaged in their job.work in physical locations isnt going away. Theyre better at engaging customers, As well, emerging data about neuroplas- produce higher-quality work, and areThe toolbox that Paul Krismer will share ticitythe ability of the brain to change,(vastly) less likely to leave that workplace,during his keynote address this September, reorganize or grow new neural networks he says, noting that helping people to beshould help relocation professionals is revealing how we can actually rewire ourtheir best selves puts productivity at thechampion change in their organizations brains to think differently. Neuroplasticityforefront of any business. These formulasand create a knock-on effect that could is really new science, explains Krismer.are overly simple, which I think is why theyrejuvenate the industry. One thing will We were taught until recently that we areare too easily dismissed, but I think we canbe certain: Its time to start paying some born with about four billion brain cellsmake a very persuasive business case forserious attention to building happinessand that the prognosis for the brain wasinvesting in happiness at work.at work.that there would be fewer and fewer, and wed basically get dumber until we were dead. It turns out that had no bearing on truth. What was not known is that all of the time that we are alive, we have little baby brain cells being born in our brains, and they get put to work based on what we pay attention to.Krismer uses the example of learning to drive to prove this point. After initially learning to drive, we do it so often that the brain builds vast neuro networks for the purpose of making us good drivers, to the point where our brains eventually automate the task. Science now believes were born with about 100 billion brain cells so that shows a massive growth in understanding of whats really going on, Krismer points out. From a neuroplasticity point of view, its a big part of overcoming negativity bias. A huge part of my CERC presentation is about automating happinesshow by paying attention to different things, we can re-wire the brain so that happiness becomes more automatic.Summer 2023PERSPECTIVES15'