The Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development is home to more than 50 initiatives, events and programs, aimed at insuring the happiness of its employees and creating a positive work environment at its headquarters in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and all its cultural centers across the country. These initiatives were developed and implemented by the team “Estanes- which translates to “Be Happy” in the local Emirati language, concerned with employees happiness and welfare. The “Be Happy” team was formed by the Ministry and is headed by Salama Al Mannai, Director of the Human Development Department, and includes a number of distinguished employees from the Ministry. The team, which receives direct support from His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development and the Ministry’s leaders, completed 50 initiatives over the course of nine months, spreading positivity and harmony, in addition to increasing productivity and excellence among employees. Salama Al-Mannai, Director of the Human Development Department , said that the launch of happiness initiatives throughout 2017 aims at transforming the workplace into an attractive environment that allows employees to release their energies and utilize their creativity, benefitting the workplace in particular and the society in general. Such initiatives also contribute to the development and improvement of the work environment, the increase of the level of employees satisfaction and motivation. Al-Mannai added that the success of the initiatives is a result of the support of His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan bin Mubarak and Her Excellency Afra Al Sabri, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, in order to achieve the goal of our government to motivate employees to achieve positive competition and occupational excellence, through creativity and innovation in developing human resources and institutional processes within the ministry. The happiness cafe, inaugurated by Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, on the occasion of the international day of happiness comes at the top of the list of the ministry’s initiatives. The Ministry also participated in employees social occasions such welcoming new employees, returning employees from sick leaves, new borns, and surprising employees with birthday gifts and permissions for early departure from work. Ministry’s leaders also participate in various events throughout the year and celebrate various international days, such as World Workers’ Day, Mother’s Day , International Women’s Day “. The “Be Happy Team” picked up the habit of surprising employees on a weekly basis, with “Happiness Permits” which entitles employees to leave work early every Thursday, “Fun Filled Hour” which is an hour filled with fun games and entertainment and “Morning Coffee” where a mobile truck filled with drinks and sweets roams around employees offices. Other initiatives include “the Lucky Number” , in which employees win gifts after picking a number during the happiness breakfast, thank you cards and vouchers are also distributed to distinguished employees . Fun filled trips were not overlooked by the “Be Happy “ team, including movie screenings, amusement park visits and bowling games.