DIGITAL HAPPINESS

New Report: Utopia for Executives There are certain moments in time when collective dreams are more in vogue, more sought after, than at other moments. Societies seem to be stable for long periods and then – bang – doubt and uncertainty begins to pour in. People start asking themselves “Is this the world in which I want my children to grow up in?” or “Why is everything moving so slowly,  we need to take action now.” It is in these ‘fuzzy periods’ that the popular vote is on the move and society looks for new narratives, a new Utopia. It's at these moments that massive changes in how we run our economy start to evolve. For organizations there is a clear and bold message: to stay relevant in the 21st-century economy, you need to be driven by a strong purpose. The days of the Milton Friedman doctrine is over.  It’s about equality and “resetting capitalism”, as espoused by the Financial Times newspaper earlier this year. In Utopia for Executives we explain why now society is making this drastic turn, what it means for organizations, and what to prepare for. We present fresh, visionary thinking, from some of the world’s most profound thinkers in the fields of technology, economy and wellbeing. Some of it is dystopian, with a bleak outlook for society and business if we don’t have a true purpose to what we’re doing. Some of it is uplifting, with a belief that we face a new golden age that’s been preceded by a massive technological shift – but only if we focus on an inclusive, planet-centric world. Utopia for executives is our fourth report on Digital Happiness.

Fake or fact? Why a new generation workforce is better equipped to manage digital and social media than its predecessors. Discover how research into the characteristics of born-digital youngsters reveals that authenticity is key to this generation’s pursuit of happiness – and why helping them identify what is real and what is fake is an ongoing challenge. Find out what a new generation workforce values most in the modern enterprise. The third report in Sogeti’s Digital Happiness series charts the rise of a new generation of influencers – post-millennial young people for whom the concept of digital ‘transformation’ is alien. Digital and new media behaviors are simply ‘normal’ to these Gen-Z youngsters, for whom being an influencer or following their favorite influencers (fake or real) are part and parcel of everyday life. Our report ‘The synthetic generation - Growing up in an uncertain changing world’ argues that this new generation has a different value compass than even the millennials of just a few years ago. More secular. More self-actualized. More protected (by their parents). More interested in making an impact on the world than the generations that immediately precede them. This is a neo-romantic generation. What impact will they have – The Founders, Homelanders, the fluid generation, Gen-Zers – on the workplace of tomorrow? The report argues that first employers must understand the power of the influencers.  Second, aligning your brand or organization with influencers – or being an influencer – is key to success. Third: Gen-Z employees are better equipped to handle themselves in this new world than you might imagine – real or fake, they get it. And the last and definitely not least: being an ethical and inclusive employer with a ‘purpose’ counts to them. They're 'woke'.

"In Code We Trust" is the second report, in a series of four, on our new research theme “Digital Happiness”. Trust is one of the six key variables that have been found to support wellbeing according to the World Happiness Report of 2018. Trust and happiness are closely related. For instance, societies that show high corruption rates, lose their trust and are amongst the unhappiest countries in the world. For our wellbeing and happiness, the trust we can put in friends and families, organizations and institutions are key. And since trust has become such an important part of the current tech-debate, we decided to investigate the concept more in depth. “Who can we trust?” and “How do we organize trust?” are the leading questions.

Digital happiness is rapidly becoming the new frontier of competition. New digital opportunities can make our lives easier, more efficient, safer, and more joyful. You may ask yourself where to begin and which needs to prioritize, but one thing is clear: only focussing on efficiency and effectivity is not enough anymore. Customers and employees are already two steps ahead by actually living in a happiness economy. They are becoming more selective when looking for happiness and a purpose, making the prudent use of technology an additional differentiator. Their findings and judgments are shared in reviews and ratings, giving helpful insights for shopping customers who need these happiness ratings. Enhanced by a customer-centric mindset, it is experience and emotion that are today’s differentiators. Technology empowers organizations to understand these emotions, to persuade people with hyper-personalized touch points, and to directly impact their happiness and sadness. Those who miss this societal trend will have a hard time winning the hearts of the customer and new employees. The advanced state of digitization today requires a holistic approach with the ultimate question in mind: what is the main goal of the products, services, and organization and how do they contribute to the digital happiness of the customer? In this report, we explore three key questions. First, what is the potential advantage of aiming for happiness? Second, how does digital technology impact our individual happiness? And third, what role must organizations play as guardians of the happiness of their customers and employees?