“The way we define happiness at work is that it's about how you feel in the workplace. Does work typically make you feel good or does work typically make you feel bad? And of course, nobody's happy at work every single day. If somebody's happy all the time, there's something wrong with them. We all have good days and bad days at work.”
S04E09 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Alex Kjerulf, Chief Happiness Officer at Woohoo Inc., a global thought leader in workplace wellbeing. With a background in tech and a passion for happiness at work, Alex shares insights from over 20 years of experience helping companies like Microsoft, IKEA, and Hilton build cultures people love. From the dangers of toxic leadership to the power of emotional check-ins, Alex offers practical strategies for creating workplaces that foster joy, purpose, and performance. He also shares personal stories, from swing dancing to launching a comedy show, that reflect his belief in leading with humanity.
📢 Do you want to build a high-performance culture? It all starts here: www.rethinkculture.co
Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.
Listen to this episode to discover: • Why toxic leaders harm people and kind leaders drive results • The two drivers of happiness at work: results and relationships • Why effort deserves recognition, not just outcomes. • How storytelling gives even routine jobs deeper meaning • Why emotions matter and how to check in with them • How peer accountability builds trust and performance
Chapters 00:00 — Introduction to Alex Kjerulf 01:58 — Introducing Alex’s journey to Woohoo 03:00 — Reflecting on a career turning point 03:44 — Getting leaders to care about happiness 04:52 — Toxic success stories in business 06:54 — Comparing leadership styles 09:32 — Who seeks help for toxic culture 10:31 — Who drives change in organizations 11:37 — HR’s limits in shaping culture 13:16 — Defining workplace culture terms 16:40 — Happiness as a performance driver 17:07 — What leads to happiness at work 18:16 — Actions that build results & relationships 19:51 — Effort vs. results in recognition 21:05 — Rewarding what truly matters 24:38 — Creating purpose in any industry 31:15 — Lessons from leadership mistakes 32:43 — Exploring personal growth and impact 34:35 — Leadership lessons from swing dancing 37:18 — Building accountability through peers 40:32 — Emotions as a workplace compass 46:04 — Where to connect with Alex online
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