Comments on: Ask the CHO: Happy companies and happy cultures

By: Ann Peters

Ann Peters — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 19:16:46 +0000

I thought it would be a great idea for my company to invite you to give a seminar since I feel we need a CHO – but then I found it already listed as one of the companies you had worked with.

So I guess they need a refresher …

By: Gautam Chaudhury

Gautam Chaudhury — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 06:59:03 +0000

Dear sir,
I am interested to be u r contact for India.I ama MBA from USA, a HR professioanl with orthopaedically challenge,commited to make a difference.pl include me & reply a sap.It will be a great idea to start,If need be , i will proceed for a discussion.
Gautam Chudhury

By: world cup betting

world cup betting — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 15:34:40 +0000

world cup betting…

momentum thrower:wakeup,disrupt marveled?…

By: Takeshi Fujiwaru

Takeshi Fujiwaru — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 19:54:04 +0000

You are quite right Alex about Scandinavian countries, one of my old international business textbooks had a chart listing countries and their place within Hostede’s dimensions.What was quite interesting in fact was that nordic countries were quite high on the female dimension. America has pretty much the opposite dimensions of what you mentioned in your post as the ideal for happiness.

By: Alexander

Alexander — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 14:03:51 +0000

Steve: Interesting. According to most studies many European countries are approaching the US working culture with more overwork and less focus on happiness at work.

It will be interesting to see which companies wake up to the fact that success comes from happy employees – and which just get their asses kicked by other happy companies.

Jaizki: Good point! A certification would have to be something more than just meaningless statistics. I’ll have to think about that one!

By: Jaizki

Jaizki — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 17:06:59 +0000

I don’t know how do certifications work in other countries but my experience in Spain is that they’re the best way to feed bureaucracy while killing any chance to achieve the original objective. “You choose what to measure, I’ll find a way to cheat”.

By: Steve Roesler

Steve Roesler — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 14:16:26 +0000

That’s an interesting and thorough response, Alex.

As one who has lived and worked on four continents over the years, I will have to say that Western Europe has emerged as a place where my work with client companies has become more enjoyable over the years.

Although I live again in the U.S. and have many fine clients here, “Anonymous” describes the overall atmosphere well. It has become increasingly intense with a focus on more work and only lip-service paid to one’s overall life: family, relationships, health.

I deeply believe that at some point it will be like an ever-inflating balloon. There will be a critical mass reached at which point there will be a burst and a backlash. This may come from workers who reach the end of their rope, or from companies whose productivity and health costs force the issue.