NETWORKING 132. Give Back Encourage employees to volunteer at local charities, either as individuals or as a group, by awarding time off for giving back. Not only will they meet new people, they’ll also be happier:1 • People who committed random acts of kindness felt 2 happier for weeks after the act. • Neurologically, giving money to charity activates the 3 same reward centers of the brain as doing cocaine. • Giving = Happiness is universal. Data from 136 countries showed that spending money on others and 4 happiness is correlated. 1 For even more on this, see Optimal Philanthropy for Human Beings. 2 See Pursuing sustained happiness. 3 See Neural responses to giving. 4 See Prosocial spending and well-being. 77