Does your company need a chief happiness officer?

A chief happiness officer is someone who tracks attitudes and experiences in the workplace, and aims to boost morale and enhance company culture. The position may have been birthed in the start-up industry but several companies in South Africa have filled in the position, including Hirsch’s.

Glenda Thompson, media and PR consultant at Hirsch’s said the company’s executive director, Margaret Hirsch has been the perfect happiness officer. “Every single morning, seven days a week she motivates and inspires her team around the country at Virtual Hirsch’s home-store meetings. She reads out all the compliments from customers for individual sales people. She brings inspiring guest speakers and international speakers to help boost morale, she makes sure that there is always an upbeat tune,” she enthused.

A chief happiness officer is sort of a combination of an HR and communications manager. They believe that happy employees are better employees. It has been echoed by numerous successful people in business that taking care of your employees results in a thriving business. Margaret does this by hosting online events that boost the morale of the greater community – from entrepreneurs workshops to Women In Business meetings and cooking shows. “She also visits schools and orphanages around the country to find ways to help where she can. She is an absolute powerhouse of happy energy,” Glenda said.

The World Happiness Report 2019 revealed that South Africa was at the bottom of the index with 4.27, being overworked marked as one of the factors. In a country with such high unemployment rates, well-being and being fulfilled often become afterthoughts when you are trying to put food on the table. But this too has deadly circumstances; suicide is currently the third largest cause of unnatural death in this country, according to SADAG.

We spend a large part of our lives at work, and happiness in the work environment is a valid concern for employers and employees alike.