It is not insignificant that there is a trend in companies to recruit a Chief Happiness Officer. According to a recent study, a happy employee is two times less sick, six times less absent and nine times more loyal. This new transversal function, still with blurred edges, has the goal of attracting talents and retaining the loyalty of a company’s employees with, at the end of the day, an improvement in their productivity.
The genesis of happiness in a company
While this name is fairly recent (created by a Google employee who wanted to develop well-being in the company by becoming a “super good comrade”), the origin seems to go back to the 1960s, when German companies, struggling with a shortage of manpower, had to showcase their work environment. Be careful not to sign a contract with your eyes closed, because there is a Chief Happiness Officer. While some companies will install a ping-pong table or organize after-work happy hours, the pressure and stress will still be there. Bet rather on start-ups – you will have a better chance of having a CHO who acts for your well-being by bringing together a good atmosphere and a business culture with growth.
Happiness for All
Freshly graduated, you could quickly succumb to this company that implements activities, facilities or even events for the happiness of its employees. And yes, your recruiter now knows that salary is no longer your first criterion of choice. Once employed, you will fall under the charm of everything that has been set up to ensure a good atmosphere (salsa courses), instill a team spirit (celebrating successes), respect colleagues (non-violent communication workshop), valuing each individual (favourite hobby presentation workshop), avoiding stress (babysitting service for toddlers). But the role of the Chief Happiness Officer doesn’t stop there. He will also work with your manager to ensure that he and you work well together – arranging feedback here, defusing a problem there. In other words, everything is done to make you feel very comfortable, because what is good for you is good for the company.
Who is behind the Chief Happiness Officer?
As you can imagine, the position of Happiness Manager is not meant to be found in all companies. Those interested will be able to offer a temporary position – the time to set up the broad guidelines – or entrust this mission to a company employee with the necessary skills to take on this role successfully. What will the recruiter look for in the candidate? Not a Diploma in Business Happiness, because it does not yet exist! Possibly, training in communication or human resources, but above all a profile. If you are always wearing a smile, if you are a pleasant operator, if you are able to listen and are always available, if you are brimming with energy and if you have developed a certain sense of humour and empathy, then your chances are excellent. Your chances are good that you will be entrusted with organizing get-together activities, creating a serene and warm workplace atmosphere and enhancing the value of each employee.
What an opportunity you will have to integrate, in our always more digital and virtual world, a company in which the human being occupies a central place! And if it’s not just the happiness of the employee that is honoured, it can be health – another way of achieving personal goals and participate in the company’s success.