On September 17th, we took a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and attended Happiness Camp 2024, the largest European event dedicated, as the name suggests, to happiness, especially in a corporate environment. It took place in the emblematic Alfândega do Porto and was not only marked by several moments of bonding between us, but also provided a lot of learning experiences. We have no doubt that we will remember this day for a long time to come!
Don’t know about Happiness Camp? We’ll explain!
Happiness Camp is an annual event that stands out not only for its size, but also for its mission. It’s a free conference, conceived with the main purpose of inspiring organizations to promote well-being among their employees and foster workplaces where happiness is, alongside productivity, the main focus.
With the participation of more than 7,000 people from 120 companies and 47 nationalities, the happiness camp was the result of several months of work, which culminated in an exciting day, full of good energy and lots of networking. A number of distinguished people from the labor market attended this event, and I’m sure they all came home with the same idea as us:
"This was an excellent opportunity for us to reflect on the future of our companies and on the impact that happiness can have on team productivity."
But how did we participate?
Happiness Camp was an important moment for us. The event provided a day of great learning, where we were able to strengthen bonds and acquire new knowledge. Throughout the day, and with a delicious lunch break in between, we had the chance to attend a number of truly inspiring talks, take part in moments of team building and enjoy a more relaxed day than usual.
First thing in the morning, we were welcomed into a vibrant Customs House full of people, where the colors and positive energy were palpable. In the happiness camp lounge, we were challenged by various brands to take part in activities that promoted teamwork as well as our creativity. Between basketball games, arcades and arts and crafts, there was no shortage of fun and we had moments that will certainly remain in our memories.
Moments of learning, conferences, lectures and lots of fun!
Throughout the day, we had the privilege of attending a series of talks given by renowned experts in various fields, all of them linked to creating happier and more productive working environments.
One of the first lectures we attended was by Danny Stacy, com o tema “Understanding Wellbeing: How Rising Expectations Are Changing Work For Good”. Na sua apresentação, Danny falou sobre as as expectativas dos colaboradores em relationship ao equilíbrio entre a vida pessoal e professional estão a transformar as empresas. O seu discurso assinalou a importância de as organizações adaptarem as suas estratégias de modo a promover a saúde mental e o bem-estar dos seus colaboradores.
This was followed by Kelsey Robb, com a sua apresentação sobre “Community Building in the Digital Age”. Nesta palestra, Kelsey focou as atenções num mundo cada vez mais digitalno qual criar comunidades coesas dentro das empresas é um desafio crescente. Durante o seu tempo no palco, Kelsey partilhou connosco diversas estratégias para promover a colaboração e o sentimento de pertença, especialmente em ambientes de trabalho remoto, algo que é fundamental para nós.
A more technological approach, Shujaat Ahmad abordou a revolução da Artificial Intelligence com a palestra “AI Revolution: Redefining Work Strategies for the Future”. No seu discurso, assinalou as a IA pode, não só otimizar o trabalhosuch as também permitir que as empresas se concentrem em tarefas mais criativas e estratégicas.
In the afternoon, after the typical francesinha à moda do Porto, it was time to watch a Sérgio Cardoso. Known for his work as Chief Education Officer do Doctor of Finance, Sérgio subiu ao palco para falar sobre o impacto de uma boa gestão financeira na palestra “Smart Finance: Empowering Your Economic Independence”. Here, aprendemos sobre independência financeira e as esta influencia diretamente a motivação e a produtividade dos colaboradores no local de trabalho.
Finally, it was time to Stefanie Sword-Williams, que não hesitou em deixar a sua marca. Stefanie acrescentou um toque de irreverência ao nosso dia com o seu tema “F*ck Being Humble: A Guide Towards Self-Promotion”. A sua abordagem direta e destemida, encorajou-nos a valorizar as nossas conquistas e a não termos receio de nos promovermos no local de trabalho.
So, as with all experiences throughout our lives, this day offered us new perspectives for the future, both as a team and on a personal level!
As a team, events such as Happiness Camp are essential for us to think about our days together and reflect on how we can continue to provide a positive, happy and motivating working environment.
Considering everything we’ve heard and learned, we realize that the concept of corporate happiness is gaining more and more interest, and it’s not hard to see why. When employees are satisfied, feel valued and have their mental and physical health well taken care of, the results are visible: greater productivity, innovation and cohesion within the company. That was the main message of the Happiness Camp, and that’s the lesson we’re taking back with us to our second home.
