THE IMPORTANCE OF HELPING AND ADDING VALUE
Javier García Iza
CEO
IOS OFFICES
Happiness is a subjective and complex concept that depends on many factors, such as personal circumstances, expectations, beliefs, values and the goals of each individual. Nevertheless, scientific evidence suggests that one of the key factors for being happy is helping others.
According to various studies, people who perform altruistic actions, such as making donations, volunteering, sharing resources and expressing gratitude, experience higher levels of well-being, satisfaction and happiness than those who don’t. This is because helping others generates a series of psychological benefits, including a sense of purpose, high self-esteem, social connection and gratitude.
Contrary to popular belief, having lots of money doesn’t really guarantee happiness. In fact, some studies have found that extremely wealthy people are not particularly happier than those who are moderately rich. This is because money has a decreasing effect on happiness. It has been observed that once you reach a certain level of income, money stops having a significant impact in subjective well-being. Besides, money can generate problems, such as stress, envy, greed and even dissatisfaction.
Considering this, if we really want to be happier, we should not obsess with accumulating money, but with adding value to our life and to that of others. Adding value means offering something useful, beneficial and positive that contributes to the common good. In this sense, adding value can be creating an innovative product or service that helps the community, teaching a skill or sharing an experience.
Adding value doesn’t only make us happier: in a way, it also makes us richer. According to some business and finance experts, the best way to create wealth is to solve problems and satisfy community needs.
Considering this, helping and adding value are two fundamental principles in our pursuit of happiness and wealth. But not only that, they are also an opportunity to contribute to the planet, our community and our company. While helping others, we are contributing to making the world a better place to live, while strengthening our social connection and generating a positive impact in our workplace.
At IOS OFFICES, we are committed to making a difference in our country by helping others through constant efforts to promote awareness of the environment and develop sustainability as well as community development. We achieve this by involving our partners and hosts in various activities, events, and social responsibility campaigns. Our actions range from in-kind donations to providing space for foundations or startups, along with various campaigns, such as resource conservation, contributions to vulnerable communities and reforestation efforts.
In line with the notion of adding value and contributing to both individual and collective happiness, IOS Offices also focuses on personal development and fostering the growth of its community. Recognizing that true wealth isn't solely about accumulating material possessions, the company is committed to nurturing and empowering its people. On this journey of self-improvement, each individual within the IOS Offices community experiences firsthand the process of growth and transformation to become a more complete and enriching version of themselves. Through initiatives ranging from professional development events to fostering a culture of continuous learning, the company not only provides physical workspaces but also creates an environment where individuals can flourish and reach their full potential. By emphasizing this aspect, IOS Offices demonstrates its commitment to a holistic approach to happiness and well-being, ensuring that the act of adding value isn't confined solely to external actions, but also to internal growth and personal fulfillment of its members.
With the objective of upholding the highest standards of sustainability and committed to resource conservation, IOS Offices operates in buildings certified by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) with LEED certification. This certification is awarded to constructions that prioritize environmental quality, water efficiency, energy savings, atmospheric care, resource consciousness, material innovation, and operational innovation. Individually, our associates and partners are provided with ceramic dishes and stainless steel utensils, for their needs because we strive to do everything we can to avoid the use of disposable items.
Giving and supporting vulnerable communities is truly something that we cherish, and this is reflected in one of our most successful social responsibility campaigns: The IOS Offices 5K and 10K marathons that take place respectively in Monterrey, Mexico City, and Guadalajara. All the proceeds from these events are donated to Instituto Nuevo Amanecer, Fundacion CMR, and Banco de Alimentos, which are institutions focused on supporting children with cerebral palsy and combating child malnutrition, respectively, giving us the opportunity to help and promote well-being in our community with the aim of fostering conscious contributions from our partners and associates.. Another of our ongoing trademark activities, which started in 2009, is a reforestation effort we named “The Day Of The Pine Tree” (Día del Pino), through which we have planted over 4,000 pine trees with the goal of improving air quality.
At IOS Offices, our passion and commitment goes beyond delivering excellent office services. We truly believe that adding value through socially responsible actions contributes directly to happiness and the wealth of all the communities where we operate. It is our core belief that positive change starts within ourselves, while extending our commitment beyond our workspace and carrying out activities involving all our partners, associates and hosts and their families in this journey of positive change and the advancement for our country. We are devoted to making Mexico a better place, striving to positively contribute to our society.
In this sense, I invite you to reflect on these questions: What makes you happy? What can you do to help others? What added value can you give to the world? What is your gift to the planet, your community and your company? These questions can guide you towards a fuller and more successful life
This article was published in Mexico Business News, a website that offers access to the most relevant information about different industries, including articles of important business leaders, amongst them, our CEO Javier García Iza, who shares his latest publication about the persuit of happiness.