In the changing world of work, businesses are starting to revamp their approach to HR and are working towards creating a culture that truly revolves around employee happiness and employees’ experience. Introducing the "Chief Happiness Officer"
Employee happiness has now become a buzzing trend in the workplace. The days when employees wanted nothing more than job security and a steady paycheck are gone. The workplace has dramatically changed, and so have the individuals inside the workplace.
But of course, setting a goal for workplace happiness is far easier said than done. The real question is, how do you go about achieving it? The demands of work and life seem ever-climbing, and human nature inclines even the best of us to fall into habits and routines that don’t serve us well. And even when we’re able to identify concrete factors that would increase our happiness, it’s tough to find the time (and energy) to actually make positive changes.
It’s no longer debatable: happiness is a business-critical ingredient to any workplace. Growing evidence points to the positive impact of happiness on modern organizations, including in important areas such as productivity levels, sales numbers, stock prices, and more. Introducing the "Chief Happiness Officer"
We’re noticing a trend among top companies working hard to provide lucrative benefits that make employees’ lives easier as they begin to understand the importance of showing how much they value their employees. Google, facebook, Airbnb, twitter, and Salesforce have created positions specifically dedicated to maintaining and improving employees' experience and company culture — from Chief Happiness Officer to Global Head of Employee Experience and Vice President of Global Employee Success.
Essentially, these leaders are in charge of managing the strategy and processes related to building and retaining an exceptional team of professionals. Their job is to optimize people-centered activities such as hiring, training, professional development, performance management, and recognition while ensuring these efforts support the company’s growth and bottom line.
Here are the top 6 duties of a Chief Happiness Officer
1. Lend an ear to the employees
"Sixty-four percent of the 7000 skilled employees interviewed in the U.S. and Canada said that the greatest concern was "leaders make decisions without seeking input."
You need to listen to what your employees say if you want them to play a more significant role in your business. They prefer to hold back their ideas and take less action to change when management makes decisions without feedback. The bottom line is - employees want to be heard and feel accepted.
Happiness traffic light or traffic light surveys are brilliant options to check if satisfaction levels are rising. It will ensure we are confident that the levels will increase in the future.
2. Promote growth
At every stage, work can and should be a source of personal fulfillment. People need to have space to develop, educate themselves, and continuously learn every day to experience this fulfillment. The CHO must ensure that their workspace has the tools and resources to do this.
3. Empowers employees
The more rights workers have in the organization, the happier they will be in their work. They are sure to invest more and more energy in their work. For instance, ensure that peers get involved in the employee review process. Also, peer recognition is definitely a part of your reward system.
4. Appreciate their day to day efforts
Imagine a job where your team doesn't appreciate your work, your effort goes unrecognized, and they might substitute you in an eye blink. It's not usually a place you'd like to stay for a long time.
So, one of your most essential duties as a CHO is to make your employees feel genuinely respected and valued. Let them know that their work matters. Ensure they know that without them, the organization, your department, and, frankly, you are going to be nothing.
5. Bestow freedom
The repressive notion of the HR manager is a thing of the past. If you want your team members to impress you with their talents and abilities, you must give them the ability to tailor their jobs and plans. It helps strike the right balance between their work and life, making them far more active and inspired.
6. Keep the spirit high
The CHO must plan events such as team-building activities, retreats, and others that create a team spirit. It is beneficial to not only employee productivity but also in terms of organizational happiness as a whole. Besides that, the role of the CHO is to ensure employee well-being and mental health.
In line with this, the CHO job's roles are highly likely to change over the years to adapt more efficiently to tomorrow's business needs.
Write to us with your comments and feedback. We love to hear from people who are the front line leaders, who are not thinking about these issues but dealing with them…
