Internal Happiness survey, a joint initiative between the Wellness Center and FairJob, shows psychological well-being at 87.56% and highlights the impact of well-being on university culture
The Wellness Center at MUST University has been the starting point for a quiet revolution in caring for people. Created with the purpose of promoting comprehensive care for teachers, employees, and students, the Center acts as a true laboratory of innovation in well-being, connecting science, empathy, and strategy. Its actions, based on the Science of Happiness and evidence from Lifestyle Medicine, have been cultivating a more humane, engaged, and healthy organizational culture. Not surprisingly, in less than a year of operation, the Wellness Center has carried out several actions and has the active engagement of the internal community. The fruits of this work are already appearing in a concrete and measurable way, as revealed by the results of the most recent survey conducted by FairJob.
The project arose with the implementation of a Lifestyle Medicine (MEV) program. The decision to carry out the project and the survey came from coordinated actions by the Wellness Center, under the direction of Dr. Luciane Soutello.
The project, which began in March and is expected to run until October 2025, has a multidisciplinary team of highly renowned professionals who collaborate with FairJob in assessing the pillars of organizational well-being:
- Dr. Floriana Bertini, cardiologist, professor, and coordinator of Lifestyle Medicine and Well-being (MEV / FairJob)
- Dr. Angela Shimuta, otolaryngologist, specialist in preventive medicine and promotion of quality of life and well-being (MEV)
- Dr. Elisa Kozasa, neuroscientist at the HIAE Brain Institute, professor of Emotional Management and mindfulness practices
- Dr. Milton Mizumoto, nutritionist and orthopedist, master’s degree in Nutrition, specialist in Lifestyle Medicine & Mental Health
- Juliana Vasilian, dentist and psychotherapist specializing in mental health, known for “restoring smiles to the soul”
- Dr. Ronald Maia Filho, medical director at HDSA / INTS / SUS, pediatrician, adolescent medicine specialist, and sports physician
- Chirles de Oliveira, journalist, specialist in Positive Psychology, and creator of Virada da Felicidade (Happiness Turnaround)
These professionals are using the seven pillars of Lifestyle Medicine as a basis: Nutrition, Movement, Sleep Hygiene, Stress Management, Relationships/Social Connections, Addiction Management, and Spirituality.
“The Lifestyle Medicine being applied at MUST aims to develop and strengthen conditions to achieve, in a practical and sustainable way, integral well-being and longevity with autonomy, health, and quality of life.”. “This approach allows for the assertive application of personalized mentoring, which drives individual and collective improvement.” (Fernando Branccacio – Fairjob)
In addition to implementing the LSC (Lifestyle Change) program, the Wellness Center, in partnership with FairJob, applied a survey inspired by the principles of Gross National Happiness (GNH), originally created to measure the well-being of nations. In the corporate environment, this methodology was adapted and renamed Internal Happiness (IH), with the aim of mapping essential dimensions of the human experience at work — such as psychological well-being, use of time, community vitality, health, education, culture, environment, good governance, and standard of living. This approach offers a comprehensive and strategic view of well-being in organizations.
The survey revealed remarkable data. The study revealed that psychological well-being among employees reached 87.56%, an above-average index even among companies with structured quality of life policies. Organizational culture also stood out, with 89% approval, demonstrating strong alignment between institutional values and the practical experience of employees.
Other figures are also significant: ESG perception reached 81.2%, and 80% of employees say they are proud to work at MUST, while 84.7% would recommend the university as an excellent educational option for others.
According to Fernando Brancaccio, a specialist in Neuroscience and People Management and founder of FairJob, the high psychological well-being index reflects a solid set of factors:
“Among the main elements that contributed to this result, we can mention the care taken by senior management with employees, the work format adopted (between home office and hybrid), and the level of education and culture of the teams, composed mainly of professors with postgraduate degrees and MBAs. When these factors come together, they really raise the perception of overall satisfaction with life and work.”
“At MUST University, we have always believed that people’s well-being is the foundation of any successful organization. The decision to measure Internal Happiness arose from our genuine commitment to the comprehensive care of our employees and students,” says Dr. Luciane Soutello, director of the university’s Wellness Center. “We realized that, in addition to traditional performance indicators, it was essential to understand how people were really feeling. The partnership with FairJob came about precisely to give us this deeper and more structured view of the levels of well-being and happiness within the academic community.”
One of MUST’s great differentiators, which highlights its commitment to collective well-being, is the Wellness Center—which has been in operation for almost a year. Aimed at employees and teachers, the space promotes continuous actions for physical, emotional, and social balance. The program is expected to be expanded to students in September 2025.
“The Wellness Center’s activities are planned with great care and strategy, always aligned with the real needs of the people who make up our community,” says Dr. Luciane Soutello. “We have created programs ranging from emotional health care to initiatives that welcome and encourage a balance between personal and professional life. When the survey results indicated such a high level of psychological well-being, we interpreted this as a direct reflection of the impact of these actions. It was confirmation that we are on the right track, cultivating an environment where people feel valued, supported, and happy.”
For Giulianna Carbonari Meneghello, president of MUST University, “true academic success begins with caring for people. Seeing these results is confirmation that we are cultivating a healthy, welcoming environment that is prepared for the future.”
Brancaccio concludes with an important reflection: “It is rare to find organizations with this level of social awareness. In times of global mental health crisis, it would be essential for more institutions to follow this example. Unfortunately, many companies still see this care as a cost, rather than an investment as MUST does.”
With a solid structure, effective wellness policies, and leadership that values people first, MUST University proves that organizational happiness is not only possible, but also measurable and transformative. 🙂
