Many professionals set their sights on the corner office or executive suite, but that's the last place Janet Bibi Ferreira wants to be. As director of human resources and administration for accountancy firm Baker Tilly Hong Kong, her preferred location is at the heart of an open plan office, surrounded by talk and activity, where she can be in touch with colleagues and always approachable.
From that position she is also able to see patterns and detect signs that others may miss. It may be nothing more than observing which teams take coffee breaks together, or how readily individuals share information and bounce around ideas. But, for Ms Ferreira, these small indicators all register on an informal 'happy index'.
Along with the results of internal surveys and regular appraisals, they allow her to gauge the mood in the firm and create a friendly working environment that values learning and promotes career development.
'When you listen and observe you see what is going on and what needs to be changed,' Ms Ferreira said. 'There is a pattern to a harmonious work environment, but what I look for is two or three people working together on an assignment, managers talking to teammates and staff arranging activities such as barbecues. These little things tell me they like each other and are learning from each other.'
Ultimately, she said, everything came down to good communication and a commitment to teamwork. In an industry where long hours are unavoidable and working practices can often be quite solitary, it is important to encourage interaction and closer co-operation.
'We want to see small groups having chats and hear people talking. This is the intangible part of a learning culture,' Ms Ferreira said. 'We also have soft skills training to improve communication and we expect managers to reinforce the point, so it gets into people's heads.'