The Economic Peace, Mindfulness and Well-Being at Work chair was created by Grenoble Ecole de Management. Six years after its creation, the chair will launch the Economic Peace Trophies on May 14, 2019 in Grenoble. The initiative aims to highlight concrete actions that are underway to test a new approach to business.
Interview with Dominique Steiler, head of the Economic Peace, Mindfulness and Well-Being at Work chair, who also initiated the launch of the trophies in collaboration with the research chair's partners.
The Economic Peace Trophies are a key turning point for the research chair. What is at stake?
The chair participates in an effort to unite best practices that will help implement economic peace. The chair's leaders and partners are working in concrete terms on economic peace, and today, they'd like to spread this effort and strengthen the ties between collaborating companies. The goal of the trophies is therefore to create new regional connections and interactions that federate participating companies. This community of business is now aiming to create an impact through expansion that will enable it to be less isolated, and more dynamic, visible and influential. All of this will enable us to go even further!
What is the meaning of the Economic Peace Trophies for businesses?
We have to clearly and loudly voice the fact that we need companies and public organizations that are efficient, sustainable and that contribute wholly to social life. Organizations that are already working on this are seeing positive dynamics built around economic peace and fostering well-being and engagement for participants. Research work in this field underlines that companies can also improve their performance in this way and increase wealth for economic actors and social development. This is why the chair has a real desire to increase its visibility on national and international levels in order to be more influential in this area.
The first Economic Peace Trophies will highlight processes for continuous improvement that are being implemented by private and public organizations over the next two years. Why focus on this?
The intention, the path and the collaborative dynamic to work towards better well-being and the common good are the first things we are rewarding. It's not just about the result, but the means that are implemented. Why? Because the jury wishes to promote the path taken, the transformation that is always underway. The idea is that companies will "apply" just like they would for any project. They will be supported by the chair's researchers or a sponsor company that is a member of the chair. After two years focused on carrying out their project, they will come tell their story to the jury and public. They will explain the process they created to foster well-being and a collaborative initiative with shared meaning. By not only focusing on results, we also avoid this topic being used simply for green washing…
The trophies will include ten prizes (one grand prize) that will be awarded on the basis of economic peace (individual, management and organization levels) and the size of the organizations (corporations, mid-caps, and SMEs, located in France).
The trophies are designed to have both an educational aspect with access to the chair’s researchers, and a developmental aspect to foster best practices. The idea is to use existing knowledge to identify needs, decide on goals for transformation and the means to achieve them, and thereby work towards greater well-being and performance.
Three types of projects will be promoted
- Projects to develop personal growth within organizations through the implementation of best practices for well-being such as mindfulness. The idea is to understand how new practices can impact the quality of human interactions within an economic ecosystem.
- Collaborative projects that aim to evolve inter-relational interactions and transform management models (e.g., the servant leadership model, which focuses on being of service to employees).
- Projects focused on organizational factors. They will aim to demonstrate how companies can have a beneficial impact on society or the environment through the flourishing of internal or external participants.
Instead of traditional criteria for evaluating the projects, the first focus will be on how projects are connected to key human values. Evaluation will consider how people are engaged and motivated by a project to transform the workplace for the good of all. Through the direct sharing of intense experiences, participants will find sustainable answers to current issues as well as the means to improve society and economic efficiency.
