What is Positive Thinking Day?
Positive Thinking Day is an annual event that focuses on positivity: taking a moment to reflect on what is going well, expressing appreciation for colleagues, and consciously choosing to view setbacks in a constructive light. It’s not about forcing yourself to be cheerful, but about cultivating a mindset that helps you better cope with pressure, change, and setbacks.
What does the research say?
Positive thinking isn't just a "soft" topic; it's something that has been the subject of quite a bit of scientific research:
- Lower levels of inflammation in the body. Researchers at Pennsylvania State University monitored 800 adults for eight days and drew blood daily. Those who reacted negatively to everyday stress had demonstrably higher levels of inflammation in their blood than those who approached things more positively. Persistently elevated levels of inflammation are linked to conditions such as cardiovascular disease.
- Seeing more solutions instead of having tunnel vision. Professor Barbara Fredrickson (University of North Carolina) demonstrated that negative emotions such as fear and stress actually narrow the brain’s focus, while positive emotions broaden it. As a result, you see more possible solutions to a problem and find it easier to develop new skills.
- Leveraging strengths reduces the risk of absenteeism. Marianne van Woerkom, professor of positive psychology at Tilburg University, shows that managers can help prevent Sickness Absence by encouraging employees to recognize their strengths and use them more often. According to her research, people who feel good about themselves experience about three times as many positive emotions as negative ones.
- A positive work environment reduces the perceived workload. According to the Arboportaal, the Dutch government’s knowledge platform on working conditions, employees in organizations with a positive work environment experience a lower perceived workload and score lower on cynicism and harassment. Work-related stress accounts for about one-third of all work-related Sickness Absence in the Netherlands.
- More productive and healthier. Research from the University of Warwick showed that happy employees are about 12% more productive. Other studies have also consistently shown that employees who feel engaged and valued are significantly less likely to call in sick.
When it comes to working conditions and preventing absenteeism, this is exactly what ZekerArbo is committed to: not just taking action after things go wrong, but making systematic investments in employees’ mental resilience, based on what research actually shows.
