Store staff get ‘helping hand’ from top company officials
dubai — One senior cashier at a store in Mirdif City Centre was a bit jittery yet excited recently, as she was getting to work side by side with some of her company’s senior leaders.
The top management of of her company had come down to the store to lend a “helping hand” to the store staff.
The move was part of the happiness initiative launched by the Landmark Group last year for its employees.
In an effort to come together as one organisation, senior leaders of the group were assigned a ‘retail buddy’ and spent the day in different stores, reporting to the store manager as retail frontline staff. All the top managers of the group including the group director were seen sporting yellow t-shirts and interacting with the store customers as regular store staff.
“At times, sitting in the head office, the top officials are not really aware of the intricacies that the retail team faces. This gives us an idea of what happens on the shop floors each day. Sitting at the top doesn’t let us define what makes our people happy. We have to listen to our employees, be with them. Simple things like introducing games, nutrition and health activities makes a huge difference to the workplace atmosphere and that is what we are trying to do,” said Nisha Jagtiani, group director and Chief Happiness Officer, Landmark Group.
The ‘Helping Hands’ initiative, being held between January 18 and 28, will see the company’s senior leadership visit the group’s outlets across the UAE. They will lend their retail staff a helping hand and be assigned with a specific job for the day.
“I want to grow and wanted my employers to see that I work hard. This personal interaction with our company’s senior management has given my morale such a boost. I’m glad they thought about us and our happiness. We are glad that they are listening to us, coming
At times, sitting in the head office, the top officials are not really aware of the intricacies that the retail team faces. This gives us an idea of what happens on the shop floors each day. ” Nisha Jagtiani, group director and Chief Happiness Officer, Landmark Group
and spending time with us,” said employee Marie Gold.
Saathi, a department in charge, says: “This initiative is a perfect way of celebrating a happiness day at our store, as our top management has shown great concern by empathising with us, stepping into our shoes to understand our issues.”
The initiative is part of Landmark Group’s Happiness Movement launched in 2017, impacting 40,000 employees across the GCC. It aims to drive overall employee engagement and wellbeing to create a positive and happy working environment.