"Felicidade não é um bem que se mereça": o que as empresas estão fazendo para merecer trabalhadores felizes?

Abstract

This article presents a qualitative integrative literature review on organizational practices aimed at promoting happiness at work. The research was conducted in the Google Scholar, SciELO, and Redalyc databases, considering publications from 2020 to 2025. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, six studies were selected for critical analysis. The results indicated that practices such as employee recognition, competency development, effective internal communication, work-life balance, and ethical leadership are associated with strengthening workers' well-being. However, the review also revealed significant limitations, such as the predominance of symbolic approaches that treat happiness as an internal marketing strategy, without corresponding structural changes in working conditions. Additionally, a lack of Brazilian studies was observed, highlighting the need for scientific production that addresses the specificities of the national context. The critical reflection, anchored in Jorge Forbes' statement — "happiness is not a good to be deserved" — suggests that happiness at work should not be conceived as a merit-based reward, but as the result of ethical and inclusive organizational environments that respect the dignity and subjectivity of workers.