At O2 Web, flexible HR contribute to the happiness index at work

Flexible HR policies that put people first have a direct impact on employee wellness and loyalty. O2 Web has embraced flexibility and plans to increase its investments in professional development and happiness at work!

Quebec aims to be a major force in the digital economy thanks to its skilled workforce and numerous innovations. Thanks to companies like O2 Web, the province is on track to meeting its goal! Founded in 2006, O2 Web now employs roughly 75 talented individuals and has earned a spot in the Flow Directory of Flexible Companies. The fast-growing agency specializes in developing integrated, flexible and innovative e-commerce solutions for the D2C and B2C markets.

We recently sat down with Mélanie Blanchette, an HR consultant and CHRP at O2 Web, to learn more about the company’s flexible HR policies and corporate culture. For her—and the agency’s entire management team—there’s no doubt that (clearly articulated!) flexible work conditions drive employee happiness.

“Flexibility was our silent strength”

O2 Web is guided by the values of trust, autonomy and individual accountability, and these ideas have long shaped the way the company operates. “We’ve always been able to offer flexible working conditions because of the nature of the agency’s work,” explained Mélanie.

 “Even before the pandemic, our employees had flexible schedules, hybrid (home/office) work arrangements, and even geographic flexibility with employees located in Montreal, Quebec City, France, Tunisia and Madagascar. Over time, we realized that flexibility was our silent strength. It became clear that we needed to communicate it better, both internally and externally, to give better visibility to this benefit.”

In 2020, the agency began structuring and formalizing its flexible working conditions to make sure they applied to all employees. At the same time, managers checked in with their teams to get a better sense of O2 Web’s happiness-at-work rating. In 2021, the agency reviewed its organizational values in order to clarify its value proposition and strengthen employee trust. Feedback, group thinking and excellence are now the pillars that support the company’s HR positioning, which they’ve defined as “growing together.” 

“Our goal is to nurture talent, invest in employee education and skill development so that our workers can expand their knowledge and broaden their skill sets,” said Mélanie.

HR investments that benefit workers

To support this initiative and enhance the employee experience, O2 Web decided to expand its HR team. Mélanie plays a key role in all of this. 

“I’m 100% available to employees. Since joining the agency, I’ve been able to build trust with the employees by showing that I’m behind them all the way and by improving internal communications—not just on popular topics but also on issues that would have previously gone unmentioned. For example, leaders often underestimate the value of discussing their organization’s vision and priorities with employees, even though these issues have a direct impact on workers. For employees, it’s reassuring to get regular updates on what’s being done and what’s on the horizon.”

“Since making these changes, the team has noticed a big difference and is more aware of our efforts to support wellness. Employees come to me whenever they have questions, doubts, requests. This ongoing dialogue is really helpful because it gives us the chance to assess workplace happiness on a regular basis.”

Promoting happiness at work

At O2 Web, the happiness-at-work index is considered a key metric for ensuring employee retention. The agency has a number of initiatives in place to promote happiness at work.

“We send a quick survey every other Friday to get employee feedback. In addition to letting us know what’s going well and where there are issues, they can share specific information such as a shout-out to colleagues for a job well done or a request work with a particular individual. To keep things light, we end each survey with a funny question! We also organize monthly lunch and learns on work-related topics (stress management, agile management, innovation, knowledge sharing) and we create opportunities for in-person and virtual meetings so that our different departments can get together and share ideas. Employees really like these events because they help us create and maintain close ties with each other,” said Mélanie with a smile.

This article was originally published on Flow website.