Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Saturday, Aug 23, 2025

Working better: How the Kingdom’s ‘ambassador of happiness’ is putting joy into people’s jobs

Working better: How the Kingdom’s ‘ambassador of happiness’ is putting joy into people’s jobs

If happiness at work is one of the keys to success in life, then businesswoman Sultana Al-Amri is determined to make everyone a winner.
In the two years since becoming the first Saudi woman to be honored with the title “Ambassador of Happiness” by the World Federation of United Nations Associations, Al-Amri has been dedicated to ensuring the company she works for in Jeddah is a joyful one.

“I am honored to be appointed to this important role,” she said. “I believe that every workplace, whether it is a government entity or a private company, should have a happiness ambassador to promote the culture of happiness, positivity and cooperation among employees so that they can collectively achieve their goals.

“It is important to remember that personal success translates into organizational success and that in turn drives progress toward a better future.”

In response to the frequent questions she gets about her role, Al-Amri said: “Allah has honored me with the responsibility of spreading this message, so everyone has accepted the idea of the field of happiness.”

When it comes to creating a happy workplace, cooperation and a sense of involvement are key, she said.

“Employee satisfaction is the term used to describe whether employees are happy and satisfied, and it’s measured by motivation, goal achievement, morale and workplace positivity. Involving employees in the work environment improvement plan based on survey results creates an environment of shared responsibility for workplace culture and improvements,” she said.

“Employers should avoid leading employees to believe that satisfaction at work is the employer’s responsibility. Employee satisfaction is a shared responsibility. So, through periodic questionnaires, we know several things and develop a plan to work on the desires and needs of employees.”

Al-Amri said she fully supported the objectives of the Kingdom’s “Quality of Life Program for Happiness and Positivity” and was developing a series of initiatives to increase employee engagement.

Fostering employee happiness was rapidly moving up the HR agenda in companies of all shapes and sizes across Saudi Arabia, she added.

“The department of happiness has recently become widespread in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and focuses the attention on personal relationships.

“It implements programs to take care of the happiness of employees from the moment they enter the facility until they leave it, and this is done through a number of programs where all their needs are considered within the work environment, leading to loyalty in the workplace and creating a positive and cooperative work environment among employees.”

Al-Amri was recognized by the WFUNA in 2020 for her efforts both in the workplace and the wider community to raise the happiness index in the Kingdom.

After trademarking her title she has become a popular guest on media programs throughout Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region.

“It is an honor for me to hold this title and also carry with it the responsibility of spreading this culture in a correct way that adds to society and the country,” she said.

A study by the Social Market Foundation showed that happy employees were up to 20 percent more productive than unhappy ones.

“Definitely, happiness leads to higher retention rates,” Al-Amri said. “Happy employees tend to stay at their job four times longer than those who are not happy at work. Happiness directly affects our stress levels and stress directly affects productivity. Eliminating stress through a happy workplace leads to more productive employees.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
High-Stakes Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Underway in Alaska
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
×