Insights From The Science Of Happiness And Positive Emotions

Joanne Lockwood speaks with statistician and trained therapist Nic Marks about what the science of happiness can tell us, and how positive emotions and wellbeing can be understood and measured.

They discuss how happiness can mean different things (contentment versus joy), how population statistics can hide individual stories, and how biases and fast/slow thinking shape our judgments of other people. The conversation also reflects on the mental strain created by sustained negative news, COVID-era uncertainty, and how resilience shows up as people absorb setbacks and partially recover over time.

Nic shares insights from Friday Pulse data on shifts in employee morale during lockdown, why experiences differ across groups, and what leaders can do in practice when teams are remote—especially checking in with people, creating space for human connection, and recognising that different life circumstances affect wellbeing at work.