And the happiest workplace in Dubai is...

Award winners with the officials during the first edition of the Happiness at Work Award in Dubai.

Last week, Dubai saw the launch of first-of-its kind happiness awards aimed at promoting happiness and positivity in the region's workplaces.
From the best employee engagement to the best workplace sustainability programme, "The Happiness @Work Award's inaugural edition announced 14 winners in five different categories from 10 shortlisted organisations. The programme covered region's SMEs, corporations, non-profit and public-sector organisations that propagate positivity and believe that 'happy employees' create high performing organisations.
Sustainable Mindz, a Dubai-based expertise centre for sustainability and corporate responsibility strategies in the Gulf and Mena region, instituted the award programme in July 2017, aimed at promoting happiness and positivity in the region's workplaces.
Talking about the idea behind the awards, Vineetha, one of the founding partners of Sustainable Mindz, said: "What makes these awards different is that we have connected them to workplace sustainability, which means happiness needs to be part of the environment of an organisation and not just a one-off thing. We found out that things like wellness, sustainability and space within an organisation are important factors that decide how happy the employees are. This is why the categories for the award include - workplace wellness, employee engagement, how well is the company taking care of its blue-collared workers, work-life balance (how much time employee gets to spend with his family and community), and sustainability within the workplace." 
A total of 65 applications received by Sustainable Mindz for the 'Happiness @Work Awards'. Based on multiple parameters, an independent panel of jury evaluated organisations in five different categories. About 19 applications from 15 organisations were shortlisted and announced in March 20 to mark the International Day of Happiness. After a rigorous process, the jury selected 14 winners from 10 organisations.
The winners
The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) won the UAE's 'Happiest Workplace of 2017; while Emirates Wildlife Society - WWF was recognised for the 'Best Employee Engagement Programme'.
Aafaq Islamic Finance won two awards for the Best Workplace Wellness and the 'Best Employee Engagement; Union National Bank received the 'Best Employee Engagement', and the 'Best Workplace Sustainability Programme'. 
Other winners were Danube Home (Best Employee Engagement ), Tristar Transport (Workers Welfare ), Arabian Park Hotel & Park Hotel Apartments (Employee Engagement ), Paramount Computer Systems (Employee Engagement), Summertown Interiors (Workplace Wellness) and The Blossom Nursery (Workplace Sustainability).
Winning three awards at the event, Abdulla Nasser Lootah, director-general of the FCSA, said: "These awards recognise not just the FCSA, but also commitment of the UAE Government in ensuring its employees are operating in a happy environment. I also would like to note that the success of any happiness-driven programme does not only rely on the organisation's leadership, but also the active participation of all employees; which is what distinguished FCSA's nomination in the award." 
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 and happiness at du; Dr Yasmin Al Bulushi, sean of Muscat College in Oman; and Jane Fiona Cumming, co-founding partner and director of Article 13 in the UK.
saman@khaleejtimes.com