The last thing I want is for anyone, especially those living on their own, to feel the pain of isolation.
Mental wellbeing
With many businesses acknowledging that they have a duty to support the mental wellbeing of their people in the current climate, a chief happiness officer has the creative licence to inject joy, support freedom and provide a voice to every single team member. It’s vital to encourage people to get involved and realise that they’re not alone.
Feeling valued and part of a work family can also improve an employee’s personal life, adding to an overall sense of positive mental wellbeing. Of course, it’s not all down to email. Chatting on Teams or just a simple old-fashioned phone call can make a huge impact on someone’s life.
Integration
You only have to spend five minutes on LinkedIn to see a variety of posts ranging from those looking for new opportunities to those who have been lucky enough to land a new role. The trouble is, most new starts don’t experience the social elements that are usually part and parcel of working in a new office.
That's why social integration is more important right now than ever before. My role gives me the opportunity to bring together a group of busy people who wouldn’t necessarily cross paths and help everyone feel they belong.
You’ve got mail
I do it in lots of ways, but my primary weapon is a non-work, joyful email with happy or inspiring content. Making people smile lifts moods, creates chat and sparks team positivity. It’s also proven to boost productivity.
Goodbye Groundhog Day
For a lot of people right now, it’s Groundhog Day. It’s rinse and repeat, whether it’s work or personal life, and that alone can be demotivating and sometimes lonely. As chief happiness officer, I have a golden opportunity to learn about the team and find out what’s on their mind – what’s making them happy or troubled, what they’re looking forward to, and what they might dread.
The content I distribute can be tailored. It ranges from mindfulness apps and virtual experiences to inspiring quotes, music and recipes. I get a good feeling when people engage with my content and connect with one another through mutual interest or a tongue-in-cheek comment.
A sense of togetherness
If I’ve learned anything this year, it’s realising that, as a team, we’re in this together – and if we support one another we’ll emerge happier, stronger and much less worried about what’s going on in the world around us.
As chief happiness officer, my job is done if I can support my colleagues to smile more and fret less.
Rebecca Longbottom is chief happiness officer and a senior account executive at Beattie
