Chief Happiness Officer (CHO): Creating a happier workplace

In a time where employee happiness at work is more important than ever, many companies are turning towards Chief Happiness Officers. But, what is a Chief Happiness Officer? Why are they important now? And what does a Chief Happiness officer do?

The Chief Happiness Officer (CHO) is the latest buzz phrase making its way into mainstream business. A Chief Happiness Officer acts as the liaison between management and employees to create an environment that will increase overall happiness levels. They often have skills in psychology, sociology, or human resources to focus on improving individual employee engagement with their jobs.  

Ultimately, this person is responsible for creating a positive work environment by focusing on what makes people happy at work!  

In this article, we'd be looking at what a Chief Happiness Officer does, why they're needed now, what skills they require, and how you can start implementing these strategies into your own business.

What Is A Chief Happiness Officer?

A Chief Happiness Officer (CHO) as the name implies is a person responsible for the happiness levels within a company. Their position would typically be included in the Human Resources department, as it is focused on improving the wellbeing of the company’s employees. 

A CHO's role can be a stand-alone position tasked with everything from keeping track of attitudes and experiences to enhancing or revising company culture to increase employee engagement and eventually improve the general and individual atmosphere in the workspace. 

The most common role for CHOs is that of the CEO or COO, but they don’t necessarily have to be the company’s head before they can be appointed as Chief Happiness Officers. In some organizations, an elected leader is appointed (sometimes through a CEO piecemeal concept) to be the Chief Happiness Officer.  

Why are Chief Happiness Officers important now?

Businesses are starting to realize the huge benefits happy employees contribute to the success of the company as research showed that employees are 12% more productive when they are happy.

Happiness is contagious. Cheerleading employees in difficult times is a great way to create a happy workforce. Plus, speaking to employees directly about how they are feeling can fundamentally change the way a company operates.

Since the more productive the employees are the more successful the company will be, CHOs gradually became a must-have for every company. They must increase employee's satisfaction at work and this is how.

What does a Chief Happiness Officer do? 

A career as a CHO is kind of like an ambassador for happiness

A Chief Happiness Officer is tasked with keeping the company culture-positive and upbeat while watching out for toxic culture red flags. This person will work to promote happiness at every level of the organization through a variety of initiatives. They are in charge of spreading all things that make their employees happy, from benefits to work-life balance or even just cozying up with some hot cocoa on a cold day!

Here are some common roles a Chief Happiness Officer may assume:

• Analyze data and make recommendations to improve the company’s practices for employees.
• Involve the company in designing and developing employee programs.
• Review company policies to make sure the company is meeting its internal values.
• Promote and motivate the company’s best employees.
• Listen to each employee to find out what they're currently unhappy about and figure out how to make them happy
• Provide a work-life balance for the employees
• Establish a fun and creative atmosphere in the workplace
• Outline company goals and objectives, select performance targets, and track company performance with Key Happiness Indicators (KHIs)

Many CHOs also have social responsibility or community involvement responsibilities such as organizing company retreats for employees, volunteering for group activities to boost employees' morale, etc.) 

A Chief Happiness Officer should be part of a company culture that encourages and rewards collaboration. You can create a happy workplace environment just as much as you can create a happy company. A lot of the time the context for achieving goals is invisible to employees, and that’s why they can’t see the same results. The Chief Happiness Officer bridges that gap by aligning the leaders' expectations with the employees' objectives. 

What skills do Chief Happiness Officers require?

In order to be a successful Chief Happiness Officer, you need to know how to do more than just smiling for the cameras. These are the 4 essential skills that are required of any CHO (Chief Happiness Officer): 

People skills:

Be able to work with everyone from the CEO to interns. This includes being diplomatic, understanding company culture, respecting authority levels in an office environment of varying rank structures, etc. You also need a high level of empathy to understand how your team is feeling and what they need. 

Communication skills:

Some people have communication issues whether it's socializing outside the workplace or just not coming across well, while some may be good communicators but lack essential leadership qualities such as charisma for instance. Having both is vital to being a successful Chief Happiness Officer. And it's essential that you're approachable and relatable to handle incidents and make everyone happy. 

Problem-solving skills:

STo makes employees happy will require excellent problem-solving skills. Cases of dispute among employees and dissatisfaction in certain areas of work can pose serious problems to the morale and happiness of the workforce. You should be able to spot and resolve these issues before they escalate. 

Creative thinking:

As a CHO, you'd need to be able to come up with creative ideas and strategies to increase the happiness of employees. Quick and effective thinking will be major criteria to success in your position as you'd be tasked with creating happiness in any shape or form - technology, workshops, or events. 

Does my company need a Chief Happiness Officer?

The role of a Chief Happiness Officer (CHO) is vital in every company as it has been established repeatedly that happier employees are more productive employees.  

Employee satisfaction is one of the main and rewarding ways to increase productivity. With the implementation of a Chief Happiness Officer, the satisfaction of your employees will be prioritized and your company will yield many benefits.

This position is responsible for a variety of tasks, such as creating and maintaining company culture or implementing new programs to make sure workers feel valued. Achieving this goal will help your organization be more productive and competitive in today’s market, which means if you're looking for ways to improve productivity at your workplace, it may be time to consider hiring a Chief Happiness Officer!