Pathways to Happiness are policy suggestions for communities using the Happiness Index and scoring low in an area. Each one suggests policies and programs for when a community scores low in one area.

1. Pathways to Happiness
for communities that score low in work-life
balance

2. Pathways to Happiness are ways communities can increase
ourwork-life
balance

3. 100= happiest
Communities
everywhere
score
low
in
time
balance.

4. Let’s look at one aspect of Time Balance:
The balance of time we spend between work &
otheractivities

5. Overall we do
not feel like we
have work-life
balance
a score below 40 means are dissatisfied or very dissatisfied and 60 means we feel indifferently

6. Courageous Policies
5

7. sick leave laws
a few cities with sick leave laws: D.C., San Francisco, Seattle
US is the only developed country without national sick leave laws
model laws and more information: www.paidsickdays.org

8. vacation laws
US is the only developed country without a national vacation law
The Case for Paid Vacation from Take Back Your Time:
https://www.takebackyourtime.org/the-case-for-paid-vacation/

9. family leave laws
US and Papua New Guinea are the only nations in the world
without paid maternity leave
many of the happiest nations in the world offer paid family leave
State Family and Medical Leave Laws from National Conference of State
Legislatures website:
http://www.ncsl.org/research/labor-and-employment/state-family-and-medical-leave-laws.aspx

10. flex time and job
sharing
laws that prohibit restrictions on flex time or job sharing
more forward thinking
companies that allow both and
prohibit repercussions
Sample Flextime Policy by Workforce:
http://www.workforce.com/2002/09/05/sample-flextime-policy/
Job Sharing and/or Part Time Work Arrangements Guidelines from Manitoba Civil Service
Commission:
http://www.gov.mb.ca/csc/pdf/jobshare.pdf

11. telecommuting
if telecommuting is an option for you – take it!
laws that prohibit restrictions on telecommuting
Telework policy from California Department of Human Resources:
http://www.calhr.ca.gov/employees/Pages/telework-policy.aspx

12. babies at work
laws that prohibit restrictions on bringing your baby to work
Babies at Work Template policy (download):
http://www.babiesatwork.org/Babies-at-Work%20Template%20Policy.doc
These companies decided to let employees bring their babies to work every day by Catey Hill:
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/what-would-you-do-if-parents-brought-their-babies-to-the-office-every-day-2016-04-22

13. childcare + elder care
combine childcare and elder care ( “sandwich care”)
intergenerational info: www.gu.org
Seattle Preschool in a Nursing Home 'Transforms' Elderly Residents from ABC
News:
http://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/seattle-preschool-nursing-home-transforms-elderly-residents/story?id=31803817

14. What’s it
going to
take?

15. men’s attitude on gender
ashiftin

16. shift in the way men regard and are
regarded in terms of women, dating,
care-giving and feeling &
expressing emotions

17. a shift in values
language is the DNA of culture
talk, write, speak about happiness as an inalienable

18. Calling on Companies
to use happiness indicators alongside profit
metrics to measure the impact of these
policies
make the case for community and employee well-being
and talk about it - a lot
at TEDx talks and other venues

19. be visible
talk, blog, share your
thoughts
experience
values

20. be patient and persistent
as we work together for the happiness revolution

21. Other policies in the Pathways to Happiness tool series
Campaign finance reform
Guaranteed basic income
Media reform
Massive public transportation
Local food reliance
Village living (cities and rural)
Multi-use zoning
Public spaces
Political festivals
Participatory governance
Participatory budgeting
Anti-corruption policies
Transparency in government
Compassion training for police
Community-based monitoring
Sousveillance
Vote holiday
Vacation laws & Vacation Incentives
Family & Sick leave laws
Flex time and job share laws
Telecommuting policies
Babies at work policies
Intergenerational care
Department of Neighborhoods
Volunteer programs
Mindfulness practice in schools
Social justice awareness raising
Mental health –priority counseling
Same Sex Marriage Laws
Public child care
Age-friendly cities
Loneliness awareness campaign
Heritage Programs
Rural Colleges
Arts & Culture Policy
Lifelong Learning Programs
War on Adult illiteracy
Low Cost & Tuition Free College

22. We envision a world where all beings can
thrive.
Can you envision it too?
happycounts.org