A leadership story from the Himalayas with lessons for the modern workplace

🌄 A Kingdom’s Different Question

Once upon a time in a small Himalayan kingdom, surrounded by snow and untouched forests, there lived a visionary king who ascended to the throne at just 17 years old.

While other kingdoms were busy chasing wealth and power, this young monarch asked himself a different question:

💭 What good is national prosperity if my people are unhappy?

He then made a bold decision: to measure the success of his nation not by its riches, but by the happiness of its people. And so, he created an index to track it.

This is the story of Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the King of Bhutan, who in 1972 introduced the concept of Gross National Happiness (GNH). What began as a government philosophy — often misunderstood and seen as naive — gradually gained global recognition and is now supported by the UN.

🏢 From Kingdom to Companies

Fast forward to today, the corporate world faces its own paradox: growth isn’t enough if employees feel stressed, disconnected, or empty.

📌 Some striking stats:

• 70% of workers say they are happy at work,  but only 25% say they are very happy (World Happiness Foundation, 2025).
• 60% report constant stress and fatigue (Indeed, 19-country study).
• Depression & anxiety cost companies 12 billion workdays and nearly US$1 trillion per year (WHO)

On the bright side: prioritizing well-being could unlock US$11.7 trillion in global value (McKinsey & WEF).

💡 Translation? Happiness isn’t just nice to have — it’s smart business.

📐 How do you measure workplace happiness?

Unlike GDP, GNH combines over 100 indicators across 9 key domains, including  mental health, learning, ethics, community, and sustainability.

Adapting these to the corporate context, we can monitor:

✅ Psychological and physical well-being

✅Learning and development opportunities

✅Work-life balance and time use

✅Inclusive culture and belonging

✅Environmental responsibility

✅Transparent and ethical leadership

✅Compensation and quality of life

✨ The secret: consistent measurement + context + action.

🚀 Companies that are leading the way:

🏢 Siemens AG: healthier workplaces + social impact = +20% employee satisfaction

🏙️ Lendlease: “happy cities” approach raised real estate value by up to 30%

⛽ Shell: life quality metrics + community engagement = 15% lower turnover

🏗️ Holcim: construction with well-being in mind = 18% higher customer satisfaction

🤝 How Skillocity Helps You Build Happier Workplaces:

We may not carry magic wands, but we do help companies transform the way they work, lead, and grow.

We believe organizations thrive when people do. We partner with companies to turn intention into implementation.

Here’s how we support our clients:

✔️ Consulting in ESG, Organizational Change & Workplace Culture

✔️ Training & Development programs to empower leaders and teams

✔️ Tailored Strategies to embed happiness metrics into business success

🌟 Ready for the next chapter?

Imagine a workplace where performance and happiness grow together — not just on paper, but in practice.

👉 Let Skillocity help you measure what truly matters.

📩 Get in touch today > https://www.skillocitybusinesssolutions.com/index.php/sbccontactus/

✨ Closing Note

King Wangchuck redefined prosperity for a nation.

Maybe it’s time to redefine success for your organization.

➡️Because what good is growth, if people aren’t growing too?