DAFZ successfully holds ‘Happiness Forum’ for its own employees and strategic partners
Workshop held in support of National Program for Happiness and Positivity
The Dubai Airport Freezone Authority (DAFZ) successfully organized a workshop entitled ‘Happiness Forum’ at the DAFZ Business Center. The event, which was aimed towards exploring employee happiness through the use and installation of small Lego pieces, saw the participation of DAFZ staff and a number of employees from other government entities. The workshop forms part of DAFZ’s Happiness Plan 2017-2021, which complements and supports the UAE’s National Program for Happiness and Positivity–including a range of initiatives and programs that have been designed and developed to provide innovative environments for employees while also instilling values and optimism as a lifestyle in the UAE community.
The ‘Happiness Forum’ is based on the idea of building small models to describe happy moments. During the workshop, participants made use of small Lego pieces to implement their designs–visualizing their happy moments and explaining what it means to them. Each employee was allowed to develop a single conception of happiness by utilizing their creativity and power of imagination. The activity showcased both individual and team creations, which showed the participants’ ability to cooperate and work with each other without affecting the work of the team by the individual’s creativity, his independent personality and his own concepts.
Ibrahim Al Banna, Senior Director, People Management, DAFZ, said, “This first-of-its-kind workshop is the newest addition to our portfolio of activities and programs that have been designed to give recognition to our employees–showing our key support for them and to also help in enhancing employee performance. This pioneering event combines elements of entertainment and education, falling in line with our continued commitment to the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who has emphasized on the significance of being able to listen to the opinions and ideas of individuals and institutions, including their suggestions and recommendations on how to further achieve happiness and positivity for the UAE community.”
The ‘Happiness Forum’ served as a strategic platform to showcase ideas, talents and emotions, in order to improve and enhance employee happiness. The event also helped discover their interests and reinforce communication for added productivity and increased business interest. Participants were also able to share their stories, experiences and their designs with other group mates–allowing them to work closely in a desired setting that creates a model for a happy and positive working environment for employees.
DAFZ has placed happiness as one of its top priorities, which is included in the national goals in support of Dubai’s transformation to being one of the world’s smartest cities–creating optimistic and happy environments for all its employees and establishes positive values in all departments and divisions as these affect services, benefits and the overall business environment. In 2017, DAFZ launched its own happiness plan, which reaffirmed DAFZ’s commitment to CSR, delighting employees and customers, and creating a practical environment for employee comfort and satisfaction, in line with leadership directives. The plan includes eight key initiatives, each with a specific goal, mission and application mechanism that combines both the employee’s and the team’s happiness, as well as enhancing communication and cordiality.
