David Teixidó, CEO of Pasiona: “The ‘demands’ of the millennial generation have dragged us towards a new work paradigm. Companies that do not adapt now, will be left out”

‘Renew or die’ is the eternal classic of the labor panorama. The ‘demands’ of millennials, new trends in team leadership and voluntary turnover figures of more than 20%, among other reasons, have led companies to change the focus in their priority management.
Personal well-being has become a strategic point for the sake of productivity and the attraction and loyalty of talent. Pasiona is one of the clear examples of the adaptation of the ICT sector to this new labor paradigm. With a Gross Domestic Happiness index of 4.1 out of 5 and awarded as a Healthy Company in 2019, the consultancy has implemented the Flexiworking model as a definitive measure to favor the conciliation, well-being and performance of employees. Objective: to result in the company’s Gross Domestic Happiness (FIB) index, conceived by Pasiona as “an indicator of the wealth that a happy and productive team represents for the company,” explains David Teixidó, CEO of the consultancy, located in Barcelona’s Silicon Valley and with offices in Madrid, Bilbao and Mexico.
The concept of Gross Domestic Happiness (GNH) has its origin in the kingdom of Bhutan, as an index associated with parameters such as community relations, trust in government, care of children and the elderly or the environment, among others. Pasiona has incorporated it into its business strategy by associating it with indicators related to the work environment, the feeling of loyalty, the well-being of the worker and the business culture. The adoption of Flexiworking as a work model, combined with the healthy Healthy Devs program and the Technological Social Responsibility (RST) line, which has taken them to Cambodia, represent the main lines of action to achieve the FIB objectives set by the company.
The adoption of Gross Domestic Happiness (GNH) as a measurement index is new in the business world…
TRUE. For some time now we have heard about happiness at work. Many companies establish plans and actions in this regard, which of course is positive. But we must go further. There is no point in talking about happiness if there is no real analysis of the impact that these programmes and measures have in practice. It is the only way to verify that the investment and the effort of time made are justified, and an invaluable tool in order to understand those aspects that have room for improvement. Only through the knowledge of the teams can this entire strategy be taken on the right track, and guarantee the levels of productivity that allow us to continue growing and maintaining our competitiveness and reputation in the IT field.
What parameters are taken into account for the calculation of this marker in Pasiona?
In the case of Pasiona, we have established six measurement criteria to calculate our Gross Domestic Happiness (GNH) index. We have based ourselves on the team’s assessments of our Technological Social Responsibility (TSR) line, training opportunities and professional growth, health and well-being measures, stability, work environment, and flexible working hours and work-life balance opportunities. Based on the personal assessments of these six criteria, we have a Gross Domestic Happiness index of 4.1 out of 5, with which we are very satisfied. Of course, we will continue to work in these six areas to take advantage of the opportunity for improvement that we have in our Talent strategy for this 2020.
Even with that margin for improvement ahead, a 4.1 out of 5 represents a very good starting point. What actions or measures have facilitated this?
Although the topic of happiness is relatively recent, we have not jumped on the bandwagon of a fad. For years we have offered extra measures for work-life balance, such as free birthday afternoons, flexible hours or teleworking, as well as an extensive healthy living program with gym, mindfulness, organic fruit in the office and massages as a preventive measure two days a week. More recently, we have taken a step forward with Flexiworking, democratizing flexible working measures and extending them to the entire team, regardless of department, professional level or place of residence.
What does Flexiworking mean for the Pasiona team, and how does it affect productivity?
It is essential to speak in terms of productivity, because productivity represents the ultimate goal of corporate welfare measures. We understand the new labor paradigm, but we do not reduce the demand in terms of professionalism. We incorporate the best professionals to the team and try to offer them the optimal conditions to develop their tasks. To do this, we adopt the Flexiworking model in three aspects: flexible hours with a margin of 2 hours in the entry and exit, two days of teleworking a week and intensive day only in the morning the three summer months. The characteristics of the sector and our daily work force us to maintain a mixed model in which remote and face-to-face work are combined, at the service of projects and the needs of the teams themselves. In this way, Flexiworking is not a prize for the most veteran workers or a help for those who live further away from the office. It is a commitment to the happiness of our passionate men and women regardless of their context, position or personal conditions. A happy team is a productive team and this clearly results in the benefit of all, personally and business-wise.
How does the implementation of these measures relate to the labor paradigm promoted by the new generations?
Much. We are committed to Flexiworking because it has been shown that the reconciliation of work and family life is the main factor that workers point to as the basis of their happiness at work, according to the latest Adecco work climate report, from 2018. The new generations, and more in the IT field, demand new work models, and companies that do not adapt are already being left out. Especially in the ICT sector, which registers one of the highest rates of voluntary labor turnover in Spain, where the average is 21%, according to Adecco. To this we must add the gap between demand for profiles and the labor market. These days I read a report by Hays that points out that 95% of technology companies have difficulty finding qualified professionals in Spain. I do not know if I would say so much, but what I can confirm is that the attraction and loyalty of talent is a complex challenge that must be addressed as a priority. Bets such as flexiworking or wellness and health plans are key in this context, and for the sake of productivity.
In 2019, pasiona was awarded the My Company is Healthy…
Yes. We received the award in the SME category for our Healthy Devs program. A plan launched in 2017 with the aim of training and encouraging a generation of computer developers away from the topics of the past: sedentary life, poor diet, dark cubicles and obesity. The program guarantees four pillars: fresh fruit available to the team, massages in the office, gym and mindfulness. These types of measures are an indispensable part of the necessary work happiness programs and a way to tackle absenteeism, which represents an expenditure of 0.4% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Spain. In Pasiona we prefer to speak in terms of Gross Domestic Happiness (GNH) as an indicator of the wealth that a happy and productive team means for the company.
Massages in the office?
Yes! When we tell that a masseuse comes to the office twice a week, people are very surprised. We have it so internalized and for so many years, that many times we do not even remember that it is something very rare to enjoy massages in the office. And the same goes for fruit or even mindfulness.
Gross Inner Happiness, Pasionacrew, softwaredevelopers
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