Human Capital Part 2

This is the second part of the article “Human Capital,” which I wrote at the end of February this year.

Redirect to the previous article.

In that article, I shared with you that the ingredient in the recipe that had worked for me with Gulungo wasn't the product, but the people—in other words, the human capital. In this article, I'm going to explain that "ingredient" in detail and share all its secrets with you.

Ultimately, my goal with this blog is to share with you the tools that have worked for me and the mistakes I've made. I want to address this component of human capital in the following order: the science of happiness at work, the self-performance model, and finally, the app, Gulungo.

The Science of Happiness at Work

The Oxford, UK-based IOpener Institute's mission is to develop and transform leaders worldwide through "happiness at work." This concept of "Happiness at Work" seems a bit ephemeral, however, empirical studies by the institute have shown that happy employees are more productive, have more energy, and tend to stay longer in organizations. The institute's mission has a humanistic undertone, as it understands happiness as a mindset that has three axes: pride,

recognition and trust. The three axes are not a new concept.

In the 17th century, the humanist François Rochefoucauld wrote in his famous maxims that vanity and self-love were what made us human, and that the only thing that varied in each person was their upbringing and the company they kept. I think the axes of the institute are, to some extent, nuances of Rochefoucauld's observation. Returning to the institute, its innovation

It lies in the fact that they are able to quantify happiness at work through a survey. This is what is called the self-performance model.

The Self-Performance Model

The self-performance model is the parameterization of the results of an employee survey using five components: contribution, conviction, culture, commitment, and trust. That is, each company employee answers a series of questions, and the model provides a score (1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest) on each of the five components. The explanation for each component is as follows:

• Contribution: the level of individual and collective effort

• Conviction: short-term motivation

• Culture: how the person fits into the team

• Commitment: long-term commitment

• Confidence: belief in one's own abilities

Each employee, and consequently the company, receives a score on each of the components. This is very valuable because it allows the organization's leader to interpret the culture and develop concrete action plans. Everyone knows that culture is essential (or so they say), but having a quantitative model of organizational culture is an indispensable tool today. This tool allows the leader to "feel" the work environment and take corrective measures.

The App in Gulungo

The most enriching thing in life is normative decisions. These types of actions force us to take a course of action once we've eternally described a problem. In Gulungo's case, the lowest component was conviction, and it was imperative to find the reasons why it was so low. I can't express the amount of time and energy I saved once I knew I had to work on this component.

I was able to develop internal action plans more quickly and was also able to make changes at a personal level. Action plans depend on each leader, and this is the beauty of the model, as it works like a mirror. Its sole purpose is to show us what we need to work on, and it's up to each of us to do the work individually and as a team.

Finally, I think the model has a philosophical background. Unfortunately

We look outside for what we have inside. Gulungo is just starting out on its entrepreneurial journey and has to overcome many obstacles to become what I hope it can become. My mission with the company is to prove that companies can be built.

of great impact without neglecting the human component. Before being employed with specific functions, we are human beings who, in one way or another, are trying to give meaning to our existential path, which in itself is full of unknowns. This, instead of separating us, should unite us. If Gulungo becomes a site where people can learn to shape their questions and give meaning to their lives, I can consider myself well served. The model then ceases to be a survey and becomes my friend.