Michaël Vlerick, born in Kortrijk in 1982, earned a Master’s degree in Philosophy, graduating Cum Laude in September 2005 from the University of Leuven (KUL, Belgium). He further pursued a Ph.D. in Philosophy at Stellenbosch University (SUN, South Africa). Since February 2017, he has held the position of Assistant Professor in the Philosophy of Science at Tilburg University (Department of Philosophy – Tilburg School of Humanities and Digital Sciences).

As an author and public speaker, Vlerick published his first book, “De tweede Vervreemding,” in which he discusses why the era of global cooperation need not be a utopia. With the release of his new book, “Waarom we niet gelukkiger zijn” (Why we are not happier), he encourages readers to “rebel against your nature and become deeply happy” (published by Lannoo), TIP-IM had the pleasure of interviewing him with the question:

“How can one achieve greater happiness in or through work?”

MV: Since work constitutes a significant part of our lives, it presents an immense opportunity to make work a source of happiness. In the past, happiness derived from work might have been considered a luxury, but over the past few decades, people have increasingly sought work or working conditions that enhance their happiness.

TIP-IM: How do you explain this evolution?

MV: Humans have existed as biologically modern beings for about 150,000 to 200,000 years, of which 90-95% was spent as hunter-gatherers. This was not perceived as “work” but as a means of survival. Work was introduced in human lives with the agricultural revolution. Hard and continuous labor became our new reality. For the longest time, this applied to the vast majority of humanity, and conditions for many did not improve during the Industrial Revolution. But recently, technological advancements enabled certain laborious tasks to be automated and created new services. Beyond the obligations of specific tasks, work began to offer something positive—the opportunity to connect with others. Social relationships are and remain extremely important. They are one of the primary pillars of what makes people happy. A long-term Harvard study, which followed more than 700 people over 70-80 years, revealed that longevity, happiness and health are most strongly linked to the quality of our social relationships, even more so than intelligence or wealth.

In this regard, the COVID crisis served as both a painful and insightful social experiment. We observed an unprecedented rise in mental health issues because of imposed social isolation.

While work is not necessarily essential for social relationships – you can maintain close social ties outside of work – it can significantly contribute to them.

TIP-IM: Beyond social relationships, would you say the content of our work also impacts our happiness?

MV: Absolutely. It’s crucial that we find meaning in our activities—a sense of purpose. Research indicates that saying, “I am doing something meaningful with a positive impact” greatly enhances our happiness.

Moreover, finding work that aligns with one’s personal values and leverages one’s talents to help others is essential.

TIP-IM: How do you envision the employer-employee relationship evolving to foster greater personal happiness?

MV: Happiness is often enhanced through greater autonomy in one’s work. Research indeed shows that having some autonomy in how one performs tasks can positively affect one’s happiness. It’s important that employers avoid a narrow, tunnel-vision approach. Otherwise, they miss out on collective intelligence. The more diverse perspectives on a problem that are brought together, the better the solutions. Diversity of skills, backgrounds, and talents contributes to better governance.

Furthermore, employees derive much more satisfaction when their objectives are clearly defined. They need to hear from their employer what is considered a successful outcome. Conversely, it can be frustrating when an employee never feels that they have completed a task. In summary, define the destination clearly, but allow flexibility and autonomy in the path.

TIP-IM: How does project-based work contribute to this?

This aligns with the psychological state of flow—a feeling of complete absorption in a task. Certain elements lead us to this state, which we experience as highly satisfying because we are entirely in the present moment.

Experiencing multiple flow states in a day greatly contributes to long-term happiness. However, this is something we sometimes experience too little of today. The conditions for flow are: (1) sufficient freedom in task execution, (2) performing at the peak of our abilities—but not beyond. Tasks that are too easy or repetitive do not induce flow; they lead to boredom. (3) Having a well-defined goal and being able to track progress. Endless, unfinishable work does not induce flow and does not contribute to long-term happiness.

I personally experience these positive aspects in project-based work. Writing a book or giving a presentation provides me with a fantastic feeling of working toward something with tangible results and receiving recognition for it. This is something we should strive to incorporate into as many jobs as possible.

Lastly, courage can also be fundamental to happiness at work. People often regret things they didn’t do. Taking a leap is almost always rewarded. This is an important lesson.