Every two years, RRHH Digital magazine holds an awards ceremony for “The Most Influential People in HR,” recognizing professionals, leaders, and experts who set trends and inspire others in this sector, which is a fundamental pillar of companies.

Once again, Frutality did not want to miss this gala and accompanied not only the 10 winners of this edition, but also those who received a special mention for their work.

Each of them will receive a fruit basket from Frutality, which we hope they will enjoy as much as their award.

At Frutality, we always strive for detail and constant improvement so that every employee feels like a winner.

 

 

Meet Sergio, founder and CEO of Frutality

 

• What is your favorite fruit? – Bananas, I love them. I find them very convenient to eat and they always taste good. That said, I prefer them green; I don’t like ripe bananas as much.
• And your favorite food? – Gosh, that’s a tough one, I really like to eat, hehehe. Any Italian dish, pasta, pizza… Not to mention desserts, tiramisu, panettone, etc.
• What do you like most about your job? – As CEO of Frutality, what I like most is coming up with new projects and launching them.
• What is your superpower? – I don’t know if it can be considered a superpower, but I think my best quality is that I’m quite business-minded.
• What is your favorite movie/series? – Movie: Inglourious Basterds. Series: From, it’s the last one I’ve seen, I really liked it.
• What advice would you give to someone starting out in your industry? – I would tell them that there is only one way forward: QUALITY fruit.
• If you could travel through time, when would you go? – I’d prefer to travel to the future. I’d love to see what the world is like in 100 years, to meet my children’s grandchildren.
• Do you play any sports? – Yes, I’ve always liked sports.
• What sport? – Right now, I’m crazy about paddle tennis. I also go to the gym, although less than I should.
• What is your favorite hobby in the world? – Having a beer or a soft drink with a group of friends.
• What is your favorite place? – My home, that’s where I feel most comfortable.

The driving force behind a company is undoubtedly its employees. That is why they must not only be valued, but also feel valued.

Most companies devote considerable effort to ensuring that their customers have a satisfactory experience, making a substantial difference that builds loyalty and generates commitment to the brand. At this point, employees should be included within these same parameters and considered as “internal customers” of the companies. Why not create a differentiated experience for employees as well?

Communication, trust, and a feeling of “open doors” are key elements in ensuring a satisfactory employee experience. It is essential to involve them in the company’s decisions and achievements, making them feel like an important part of the organization, just as their needs must be listened to.

Vertical communication must be clear, with well-established and agreed-upon objectives and deadlines that are always realistic. In this regard, we must not forget regular interviews with the team, which not only measure the performance of each employee, but also allow us to get to know our employees and their personal circumstances better, which will give us a more complex understanding of individual productivity.

From the employee’s point of view, if your company meets their expectations, they will not only be satisfied, but also proud of their workplace, which will have an impact on their level of involvement, results, and commitment.

At Frutality, we help you connect with your employees, making them feel important and cared for.

We all want to be happy, and that includes all workers. We want to be happy, we want to work in companies where happiness is a factor to be taken into account. Because when we are happy employees, it is easier for us to be happy in all areas of our lives.

Companies are increasingly taking into account the health and well-being of their employees. That is why happiness at work is so important, and projects and departments focused on and specialized in happiness are beginning to become a reality in the most innovative companies.

 

Why make employees happier?

 

• It leads to greater motivation at work, which translates into greater efficiency and confidence in oneself and in the work performed.
• Workers are less stressed.
• Greater creativity. A happy employee is up to 50% more creative.
• Reduced absenteeism. A happy and healthy employee will get sick less often, so they will miss less work, which means fewer financial losses for the company.
• Lower staff turnover, as employees will be more loyal to a company that takes care of them
• Happy employees are more decisive and tend to make fewer mistakes
• They are more accepting of change
• They have more energy and transmit more energy, which also creates a better working environment
• They generate fewer conflicts in the company because, being less frustrated, they manage to resolve them in a less aggressive and more creative way.
• A happy person is more receptive to learning new things and in less time
• Better customer service and guidance

Considering all the benefits for employees, it is worth considering a change and starting to implement measures to make happy companies a reality. In addition, all these aspects are actually a benefit for the company, as they all translate into greater employee productivity. In fact, a company can increase its productivity by up to 88% if it has happy employees.

 

How can you achieve happier employees?

 

It is true that happiness is determined by many factors and is very subjective, that each person interprets happiness differently and each employee will value being happy at work in a different way.

But of course, there are certain actions or measures that can be implemented to create change and thus achieve greater employee happiness.

• Lead by example. The atmosphere in companies is like a virus; it is contagious. Therefore, the basis must be to create a good working environment. If senior managers are approachable, respectful, open, and have a sense of humor, the rest of the employees will follow suit.
• Happiness assessment. It’s as easy as adding a section on happiness and job satisfaction to the annual employee performance review.
• Clearly define each employee’s tasks. Disorientation or a lack of specific goals leads to demotivation.
• Work flexibility. Teleworking and flexible schedules are highly valued. Employees know that they have more leeway to achieve a work-life balance.
• Reward a job well done. Praising employees for their good work automatically boosts their self-esteem and performance, but adding a reward in the form of days off, bonuses, etc., will further enhance employee happiness and commitment
• Fair pay. The reality is that seeing their paycheck at the end of each month greatly contributes to any employee’s happiness, which is why it is so important to establish fair pay for the work done.
• Reduce stress. Break rooms help employees disconnect and promote good relationships between colleagues.
• Good communication. Involving employees in the company’s news and reality builds trust in the organization. It is also positive to remind employees of the benefits of working for the company through communications.
• Genuine listening. Creating channels that promote communication and make employees feel heard will reinforce a happier atmosphere in the office.
• Organize activities that promote teamwork and camaraderie among employees in a different environment
• Promote healthy lifestyles among employees, such as providing rooms for group classes or making fruit available to employees in the office.

 

 

You don’t need to build a theme park in your offices or spend large amounts of money to create a happier company. Taking measures to improve employee well-being is undoubtedly very profitable for the company.

When employees receive fruit in the office every day, their mood improves, their defenses are strengthened, and they feel that they are working for a company that cares about their happiness.

 

In

project management,

there is no magic rule to guide you. Every team is different because it is made up of people, all of whom are unique. And every project, although it may have common roots, ends up developing in a different way. Today we analyze two healthy

trends that have penetrated the business world and relate them to

project management

to see what they can contribute and how they improve the pulse of any high-performance team.

 

Back in Palo Alto…

A few years ago (not too many), the news broke that the world’s leading companies, based in Palo Alto and with a technological bias, had invested heavily in facilities for employees in their offices. Pool tables, foosball tables, slides, common areas for relaxation, and video game rooms were some of the improvements or extras that became most popular in the common ideology. After a period in which some start-ups and agencies tried to emulate this example, opinions changed and it was common to find threads on LinkedIn with conflicting views about the appropriateness of investing in this type of strategy for employees. Some said it was better to invest in salaries, others in time, but the question is: to what extent did these facilities play an important role in
project and team management? To what extent have they been crucial to the incredible growth of these companies?

 

The 10 keys to Silicon Valley

In 2015, a group of senior Catalan executives traveled to Silicon Valley, invited by FemCat. Every two years, this association has visited some of the most dynamic areas of the planet with the aim of incorporating ideas that can be transferred to their business or socioeconomic environment.

From that immersion trip to the world’s top tech businesses, they brought back a decalogue with the ten key principles of their way of doing business and understanding it. What caught our attention in this decalogue was that innovation and creativity are basic ingredients of the reality of the valley, and companies encourage them. Google, for example, allows its employees to devote 20% of their project management time to collaborating in areas unrelated to the department in which they work. The reality is that it has been proven that in order for creativity to come to us, we need a certain amount of freedom of movement. It is precisely when we stop thinking about the problem that we find the solution. Almost always while we are doing something else. Therefore, it makes perfect sense to think that having different spaces, being able to take a nap after lunch in a comfortable place, working in other areas, or being able to relax the team after a lot of stress in the office facilities, fosters an environment more conducive to good ideas, more refined projects, and a healthy touch in the mind and body of the staff.

 

The WELL certificate

The WELL certificate is awarded to offices that have been designed and developed with the well-being and health of their employees in mind. In the same way that LEED or BREEAM seals recognize sustainable and efficient buildings, the WELL certificate aims to
promote healthy spaces
designed for companies. To this end, The International Well Building Institute—the body that awards the certification—evaluates hundreds of parameters classified into seven categories. In 2017, the sixth floor of the CBRE Madrid office received WELL GOLD certification, becoming the first office in Spain and the second in Europe to achieve this under the New and Existing Interiors category.

This is the result of data collected from a survey of its employees:

• 80% increase in productivity in project management.
• 90% would not return to the previous way of working.
• 87% say the new workspace has had a positive impact on their health and well-being.
• 100% say that customers are interested in their new way of working.
• 87% believe that the new workspace generates business.
• 86% feel they have ample space for concentration and privacy when needed.

The data speaks for itself. 100% believe that this new workspace generates business. Their productivity has increased by 80% and they have the flexibility to work in open and group environments or in intimate and individual settings. This new way of working is known as Agile working and is revealing its great potential to maximize team results. Is it possible that investing in this intangible asset has made these positive results possible? We believe so.

 

Healthy project management

We refuse to believe that
project management
in this type of company is not influenced by the constant possibility of changing spaces and the certainty that you are part of a company that believes in its employees. Healthy

trends applied to the business world have long since demonstrated the incredible influence and benefits they bring to teams. It is not a passing fad or a simple whim to put slides in offices. It is about having a positive impact on the daily lives of your employees by providing open, intimate spaces with different uses. It is about promoting a healthy, inspiring lifestyle that is conducive to doing great work. A good way to start applying these new methodologies is to have

fresh fruit in the office. This has recently become a must for companies focused on attracting and retaining talent. Undoubtedly, there are already many companies that have put this strategy at the forefront of their agendas, and we hope that, over time, it will become the norm in the business world.