Alex Kjerulf points out the the brain likes surprises.
This is interesting in the context of happiness at work because many of the things companies do to make their employees happier are utterly predictable: Summer parties Christmas parties Bonuses, team events, and so on happen on an almost completely fixed schedule, which serves to diminish their effectiveness.
I often reflect on how people get into trances in meetings, unconsciously following routines and getting stuck. Organisations seem very prone to rituals that start out with good intentions and end up, very quickly, dulling the senses.
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