Deciphering the enablers of workplace happiness: A fuzzy DEMATEL-based structural framework

As organizations navigate increasingly complex and human-centric environments, Workplace Happiness (WH) has emerged not merely as a desirable attribute but as a cornerstone of sustainable success. Recognizing its growing importance, the study adopts an expert-based exploratory decision-modeling design to identify, prioritize, and examine the causal interrelationships among core enablers of WH. Eleven enablers were identified through a synthesis of extant literature and validated by a panel of 30 academic and industry experts. The Fuzzy Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (FDEMATEL) method was employed to model the causal linkages and relative influence among these enablers, effectively capturing expert judgements. The analysis reveals that job crafting, transformational leadership, workplace spirituality, and high-commitment human resource management are core driving factors that exert substantial influence on the overall system. By adopting a holistic analytical approach through FDEMATEL, the study redefines WH as a result of dynamic interdependencies among enablers rather than isolated elements. Furthermore, quadrant-based mapping provides strategic classification of these enablers based on their influence and centrality. The insights generated not only extend the theoretical boundaries of positive organizational scholarship but also offer a practical blueprint for leaders seeking to engineer purposeful, high-impact strategies that embed happiness at the core of organizational design and culture.