05 August 2019 | Susie Cery
Every company needs a happiness officer, says Susie Cery.
Every company needs a happiness officer. After all, we spend such a large chunk of our lives at work that we should be happy there. We need environments where employees can speak on a personal level and be part of a community that celebrates individuality and teamwork.
Fostering team spirit and unity is where a happiness officer comes in. They facilitate open communication across business functions, and help teams to socialise, learn, and share knowledge and opinions with senior management. They help employees to feel trusted and heard, and show them that their contributions and creativity are valued.
Giving colleagues opportunities to showcase their work cannot be underestimated. We launched our online community platform in spring and discovered colleagues' talents. We've got gifted bakers, chefs with signature dishes, skilled photographers, and a few spotters of new suppliers.
We know our people better because of this and our teams have bonded across the business and we've seen that having a forum to be positive and playful, even for a few minutes, can offset the daily stresses of work and add to the overall wellness and positivity.
A happiness officer can also help remote employees and those working in small teams at different client locations by facilitating the online community, helping them to connect with their counterparts, find inspiration or devise solutions to challenges. Our employees have helped colleagues to run a disposable-free operation or a summer pop-up, introduce new products and find positive ways of engaging new suppliers.
An online workplace community keeps remote workers happy but also ensures engagement of a wider employee audience.
Susie Cery is happiness officer at Bennett Hay