Markus Magnusson, Jeanette Almén, the CIO Elvbygg and Martin Persson CBC Mälardalen in conversation in the studio.

The Happy News

Here are some cheerful facts: smiling is contagious. It can boost your immune system and lower stress. So, it stands to reason that starting the day with a smile is a great for you and everyone around you. Of course, positivity has been harder to come by over the last year, spurring many of us to actively seek out experiences that fill us with feelings of comfort and happiness – but how do we do this and also have a full and productive day at work? 

Out of habit, many of us start our day by catching up with the news, but since the media has been wall-to-wall with stories that we’d often rather not hear, Canon Sweden wanted to counteract this with their own broadcast for business professionals. One that encourages us to look at possibilities, rather than problems during a time of great uncertainty, and shares a good mix of inspiration, advice, leadership and, of course, happiness. Think of it as a business-focused breakfast TV show – the presenters of the Happy News invite you to join them before work as they discuss key business issues from the studio.

Broadcast from different studios across Sweden and Canon Business Centres, each online live episode lasted 45 minutes and key Canon figures were joined by special guests with a particular insight into the topic of the morning. The first episode dived straight in with a light-hearted discussion on the big questions that all businesses are asking – the future presented by robotics, cloud and security. Jimmy Larsson, Lisa Köllerström and Andreas Hellberg of Canon were joined by CIO of engineering consultancy Rejlers, Mats Rehnqvist and author and digital strategist Jonas Hammarberg for a lively pre-office hours discussion.

Six different images, tiled. Clockwise from left: a field of yellow flowers with a hands raised though it. A woman in a headscarf and gold earrings, smiling. A Shiba Inu with its tongue out, wearing a pink party hat. A woman in a white shirt and glasses, seen through glass which reflects city lights. Three young plants, removed from their pots so you can see the soil. A man in headphones, sitting at a computer in front of a window at dusk.
Canon Sweden’s Happy News covers a wide range of topics, from robotics to wellness – there’s something for everyone.

A subject we’re now all too familiar with – working from home – was the topic of the morning for episode two. Canon’s Lisa Köllerström, Erik Strandskog and Martin Persson asked Behavioural Scientist Ami Hemviken for her advice on how to improve your day and have a healthy working environment, as well working with colleagues effectively while apart. Jeanette Almén, CIO at Elvbygg AB turned viewer’s attention to matters of data security and how to stay information safe when working from home. 

Another great benefit of the Happy News is the opportunity to look positively to the future, examine how the world has changed and talk about what successful businesses need to do to create appealing workplaces and play their part as responsible corporate citizens. A fascinating piece of research by analyst Sofia Rasmussen posed the questions ‘What are the younger generations looking for in their future employer?’ and ‘How should the companies and leaders act to keep their employees and to be an attractive employer?’ Often, it’s helpful to hear the experiences of others, so this episode also called upon three CIO/CFOs (Peter Svensson of Sandbäckens Rör, Mathias Pantzar of Econova and Martin Johansson of Finspångs Brunnsborrning) to talk about their experiences and what helped their businesses to keep going during the pandemic.

Not only does the Happy News share thinking from people at the top of their fields, but it also provides excellent talking points – so viewers can start the day on a positive note and also use it spark discussions with colleagues in the following days and weeks. By inspiring conversations that create connections, the Happy News is providing more than just information – it’s a tool to maintain relationships. What a superb antidote to the trying times we’re in.

Written by Anna Lundvall Hedin


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