Happiness from ordinary things
In a small office in Medan city, on Sumatra island (Indonesia), Ms. Dewi Fauna recalled her more than 10 years as principal with a very clear feeling: Happiness. Not because of high salaries or management positions, but because of colleagues around her.
What makes me happiest when I was principal is working with dedicated teachers and a support team that is always willing to share," she said.
Dewi's story is not unique. According to the latest report from the Jobstreet by SEEK job platform, up to 82% of survey participants in Indonesia said they felt "quite happy" or "very happy" at work - the highest level among the 8 markets surveyed in the Asia-Pacific region.
Behind Indonesia are the Philippines (77%), Malaysia (70%), Thailand (67%) and New Zealand (65%). Meanwhile, more developed economies such as Australia (57%), Singapore (56%) have significantly lower rates.
This disparity raises a question of why Indonesian workers feel more satisfied than the region.
According to experts, the answer lies in the social structure of this country itself. Indonesia is a highly community-oriented society, where people are closely connected not only in the family but also at work.
Professor of industrial psychology and organization Tulus Winarsunu believes that Indonesians tend to be "connected and dependent on each other", and their feelings of happiness often come from the relationships around them.
In the working environment, this is very clearly shown: They often have lunch together, wait for each other to finish work, and are willing to share both work pressure and private matters. The office is not just a workplace, but also a small community.
The survey also pointed out 3 top factors that create workplace happiness for Indonesians: colleagues, workplace and work meaning. Among them, the human factor - the people working with - is in the most important position.
However, things are not always pleasant. Dewi admits that her joy is sometimes "interrupted" by pressure from school owners or parents. These tensions remind that even in a positive environment, work always has hidden corners.
Pressure behind the smile
Behind the bright picture of "happy workers", the report also reveals a noteworthy reality: 43% of Indonesian workers said they had experienced burnout.
More notably, even in the group that feels happy, up to 40% admit they are under mental pressure. This shows a paradox: Happiness and stress can coexist.
Experts explain that the reason may come from the large workload and the culture of working for many hours as an expression of dedication. In a competitive labor market, many people accept working more to maintain their position.
Psychologist Irna Minauli believes that exhaustion is becoming increasingly common and difficult to solve, especially when job opportunities are not many. Workers fall into a "dilemma": Continuing to work is tiring, and quitting work faces financial problems.
Fear of unemployment therefore becomes an important factor affecting happiness. Up to 70% of survey participants said that job stability is one of the reasons they feel satisfied.
Rudi Susanto's story in Jakarta is a typical example of this downside.
Having had a stable job in the plastic product business, Rudi had no intention of quitting. But just one year before his 50th birthday, he was suddenly sacked.
I didn't violate anything, but they said I wasn't needed anymore," he recounted.
Since then, Rudi has not been able to find a new job. He believes that age is the biggest barrier, as many businesses do not want to recruit workers near retirement age.
In Indonesia, the current retirement age is 59 and the Government is considering raising it to 65 in the future. But in reality, job opportunities for older people are still very limited.
Not only middle-aged people, young people are also facing challenges. The unemployment rate in the 15-25 age group reached 16% as of November 2025, much higher than the national average. Many new graduates face difficulties when entering the labor market.
What is the measure of happiness?
An important question is raised: Does the "Happiness" that Indonesian workers feel truly reflect the quality of life, or is it just a positive view of difficulties?
Labor activist Jumisih believes that happiness needs to be viewed from many different perspectives - from psychology, economics to education. She emphasized that the "acceptance" culture in Indonesian society can make workers assess their lives more optimistically.
“We need to ask: Is that acceptance happiness?”, she said.
Besides, many factors such as salary levels, the stability of labor contracts or the social security system are still limitations, not really encouraging happiness.
However, it is undeniable that Indonesia is being recognized as one of the countries with a high level of life satisfaction. A global study on "prosperity" 2025 ranked this country in the group of happiest in the world.
According to Professor of Religious Sociology Syamsul Arifin, religious factors play an important role in shaping this feeling. With about 87% of the population following Islam, along with the presence of other religions such as Catholicism, Protestantism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism, spiritual life in Indonesia is very rich.
Religion helps people face difficulties," he said, adding that: "Belief in fate makes them feel more secure, and from there it is easier to find happiness, even when life is imperfect.
