Organizational Happiness New Horizons: Human's Work Future, Employer-Branding And Cho's-Chief Happiness Officers

Abstract

Organizational happiness is emerging as a umbrella construct for several research fields related to workplace wellbeing and organizational behaviour, and CHO's-Chief Happiness Officers is a new profession in need of exploration and research. The Future Work/Technology 2050 Global Scenarios Report highlights the need for a new social contract of workers’ rights, in a transactional and global economy and to explore new ways to promote a meaningful working life: Implementing CHO's might be on path for achieving that goal. This paper explores which are the future consequences of implementing CHO's in the organizations. Futures research methods is the systematic study of possible future events and circumstances, and using the future wheel, we explore foreseeable consequences of CHO's in organizations. Ten first-order consequences emerged and exploratory inductive thematic analysis was performed. Findings suggest CHO's promote inter-departmental articulation (Liaison), improve well-being at work and empowerment, develop a strong employer brand, and might build a Healing organization, but it might present challenges since it’s a new profession with scarce training and it might lead to companies overloading present jobs and even trying to use CHOS as a media strategy. The need to transition to a new economics more humane, peaceful and equitable is undeniable. In 2015, world leaders agreed to 17 goals for a better world by 2030 and the 8th is 'decent work and economic growth', with ILO-International Work Organization redefining at the same time the decent work concept. CHO's represent an opportunity to rewire organizations worldwide and transform them in positive, learning and healing organizations, building meaningful jobs and sustainable labour market.