Region's happy workplaces revealed

Based on multiple parameters, the inaugural edition of ‘Happiness @ Work Awards’ recognizes organisations in five different categories. 

DUBAI – April 26, 2018:   The quotient of happiness existing among entities of the region was recognized at “The Happiness @ Work Award” program’s inaugural edition staged in Dubai. The workplace happiness celebration program announced 14 award winners in five different categories from 10 organizations.

The program covered region’s SME’s, corporations, non-profit and public-sector organizations that propagate positivity and believe that ‘happy employees’ create high performing organizations. 

The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority is the UAE’s ‘Happiest Workplace in 2017; while Emirates Wildlife Society – WWF has been recognized for the ‘Best Employee Engagement Program’ in the first cycle of “The Happiness @ Work”. Aafaq Islamic Finance won two awards for the “Best Workplace Wellness Program’ and the ‘Best Employee Engagement Program’; and Union National Bank received the ‘Best Employee Engagement Program’, and the ‘Best Workplace Sustainability Program’. Other winners are Danube Home (Best Employee Engagement Program), Tristar Transport (Best Workers Welfare Program); Arabian Park Hotel & Park Hotel Apartments (Best Employee Engagement Program); Paramount Computer Systems (Best Employee Engagement Program); Summertown Interiors (Best Workplace Wellness Program); and The Blossom Nursery (Best Workplace Sustainability Program). 

Sustainable Mindz, a Dubai-based expertise centre for sustainability and corporate responsibility strategies in the Gulf and MENA region, instituted the award program in July 2017, aimed at promoting happiness and positivity in the region’s workplaces. The Award reiterates the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make the UAE one of the happiest nations on the planet.  

The award program recognizes forward thinking organizations that institute positivism and a sense of belonging at the workplace and believe that happy employees create high performing organizations. The Award is the first-of-its-kind in the world to recognize and shine light on organizations that institute positivism and sense of belonging at the workplace and are constantly innovating to create a workplace environment that inspires and engages employees. 

A total of 65 applications received by Sustainable Mindz for the ‘Happiness @ Work Awards’. Based on multiple parameters, an independent panel of jury evaluated organizations in five different categories. About 19 applications from 15 organizations were shortlisted and announced in March 20, 2018 to mark the International Day of Happiness. After a rigorous process, the jury selected 14 winners from 10 organizations. 

Ms. Noora Mohammad, Founding Partner of Sustainable Mindz, said, “We are happy to announce the final winners of the ‘Happiness @ Work’ award. It has been an honour to work with different organizations and our esteemed panel of judges to understand the happiness quotient and overall welfare of employees. We were particularly looking for organizations that lay emphasis on the wellbeing of their employees and creating an overall positive work environment.” 

“We had the opportunity to meet and interact with people from different walks of life and learn about the happiness practice in different organizations. It was overwhelming to see the kind of responses we received and understand how organizations invested in their employees’ welfare. Workplace is an integral part of the lives of people in the UAE; hence it is significant to acknowledge happy employees for being more productive, energetic and creative. This Award aimed to highlight leading examples of organizations that actively look at creating a workplace culture that nurtures and engages employees and reinforces their role in a sustainable future. I would also like to congratulate all the awardees,” she added. 

The jury comprised of academicians, corporate consultants and thought leaders in the sustainable sector with vast experience on how to integrate sustainability in the workplace. The jury was chaired by Dr. Saamdu Chetri, Visiting Professor at Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur, West Bengal, India and the panel included Dr. Mansoor Anwar Habib, Senior Director of Employee Wellness & Happiness at du; Dr. Yasmin Al Bulushi, Dean of Muscat College in Oman; and Ms. Jane Fiona Cumming, Co-Founding Partner and Director of Article 13 in the UK. 

H.E. Merete Juhl, Ambassador of Denmark to the UAE, said, “A political leadership cannot make people happy, but it can provide citizens with the best possible framework for being so.”

Dr. Saamdu Chetri says that the Award is an initiative for curing the present sufferance for a saner future of humanity. “My involvement with this initiative is to bring awareness to the world to realize that there is only one medicine called ‘Happiness’ to cure the great divides of this planet; divide from self with self, self with others and self with nature. This Award is an effort to making the world sustainable by helping revive the dying society and languishing planet.”

Dr. Mansoor Anwar Habib, Senior Director of Employee Wellness & Happiness at du; said, “With this initiative, we are sending a strong message to the nation that it’s a need rather than a want. Since Aristotle, we seek for both physical and mental prosperity. This award has created a platform for everyone to showcase their efforts in this noble mission. Being among the judging panel has allowed me to evaluate the endless efforts by everyone to inject happiness in the DNA of every workplace. It is indeed a great opportunity for organizations to shine”. 

Designed to celebrate happy workplaces over the world, this Award aims to identify these great, transformative and creative ideas that seek to create a happy workplace culture. The winners proved that they institute positivism and sense of belonging at the workplace and are constantly innovating to create a workplace environment that inspires and engages employees. 

Happy and engaged workplaces have a positive impact on employees and the business. Engaging and empowering employees to help them achieve their sense of purpose, makes them happier, healthier and socially adept. Happy employees are more productive, creative and collaborative and have a positive impact on the organization.