Article from Daphné de Calbiac on LinkedIn.

Etix Everywhere received the Prize for the Best HR Team 2016 in Luxembourg, rewarding its innovative approach of placing employees’ happiness at the center.

Starting a HR department from scratch was a real challenge, but we had an even more ambitious goal: we wanted to create the conditions for employees to be happy at work. 

We believed (and still believe), that happy people are more creative and engaged, which brings value to everyone.

HROne and the HR community in Luxembourg seem to also share this belief as they granted us the award for the Best HR Team 2016!

Our HR team undertook a journey along the path of a happy workplace since 2014. We soon realised that there were no textbooks for happiness. There were only ideas, behaviours and initiatives that can nurture happiness at work. We have experimented, tried and even failed at times. Two years later, here are the ideas implemented that we believe contribute to such a special workplace…and a special award 🙂

 

In this video, the HR Team of Etix Everywhere looks back on the journey toward making happiness at work reality.

1. Making the Most out of the On-boarding

We wanted to get off to the best start possible. Our new recruits need to feel the unlimited potential of their workplace from day one! On their first day, they are welcomed by their godfather/godmother during a one-to-one breakfast meeting outside the office. The godfather/godmother introduces the newbie with customs and habits at Etix Everywhere and offers his/her help for completing the On-boarding Passport challenges (a list of quirky tasks to explore their new work environment ), leading the new recruit to integrate into the company with less stress and more fun (read more).

2. Celebrating Accomplishments

The higher the goal, the more important it is to celebrate achievements! Etix Everywhere employees make miracles happen everyday, and we believe that each milestone deserves to be in the spotlight. In the HR office, we have a big bell to share loudly our excitement of having recruited a new colleague. A celebration wall in the kitchen also displays major events in Etix Everywhere’s life with pictures pinned on a timeline: contracts signed, babies born, table football delivered…

3. Empowering People to Share Knowledge

“Sharing knowledge is the real power to achieve continuous innovation.” This is the fundamental statement supporting the creation of Etix Academy. Whether it is through giving a lightning talk, a cooking class or a presentation during our trimestrial Fresher’s week (a week of training for the entire company – read more). Everyone has the opportunity to share what they are passionate about. These learning experiences brings a sense of renewed energy and uplifts the collective mood.

4. Give Opportunities to People to Be Together and Laugh

When a startup grows at such a crazy pace, the information tends to flow less naturally and a shift in the culture is frequently observed. We did not want to lose the proximity and conviviality that was always apart of Etix Everywhere. We created opportunities for people to be together through our “Wednesday Challenges” (creativity challenges during lunch break, parties and activities organised by our “Fun Committee”). A good laugh together always benefits both individuals and the organisation!

We do not believe that those initiatives are the universal recipe for a happy work environment. They are our answers. We wanted to share them to inspire organisations to find their own.

If we manage to convince the HR community that bringing more joy to work will benefit us all, this would already be an accomplishment we can be proud of.

Source.