Creative Job Titles

Whilst the new range of job titles may seem like a fad, they can serve a purpose, create meaning, and give new significance to a role. Creative companies usually use creative job titles to boost their employee’s confidence and energy. Interestingly, a London Business School professor studied self-reflective job titles and invited employees to create titles that better described their work. He discovered that employees with creative descriptors were increasingly proud of their job. Creative and contemporary job titles show job seekers their company and culture personalities, which can spark curiosity and break the ice. 

Creative job titles might work as a confidence booster; some millennials have traded a higher salary for a better-sounding title. On the other hand, too much creativity can be confusing. The job titles should give a clear picture of what the role entails. Remember always to identify the role that you are looking for by asking the following questions;

Who do you want to work with? Assess the type of colleagues, clients or customers you’d like to work with each day.

What do you want to do and in what kind of environment?

Where do you want to work? At home or in a role that offers plenty of travel?

Why does this role appeal to you?

To avoid job title inflation, always check the job description. For example, a Director role that does not lead a team should lead you to be cautionary or at least raise a red flag.

Director of Opportunities

A Director of Opportunities is responsible for developing new hiring and recruitment strategies, networking with other recruitment professionals and creating talent pipelines from universities and incubators through to late stage career changers. Duties also include collaboration with other senior directors and executives within a company to determine their organisational and employment needs. A Director of Opportunities is a conduit between purpose-driven employers and value-driven employees. The title advocates opportunity, which could be taking transferable skills into a for-purpose environment for roles in companies, social enterprises and not-for-profits that are on a mission to save the world. 

Chief Happiness Officer

A Chief Happiness or Heart Officer is typically a rebrand of a traditional human resources role focussing on areas such as health, happiness, wellness and employee experiences. Despite the title, the role is so much more than the pursuit of employee happiness. The role should remain structured around company best practices maintaining psychologically safe team cultures and supporting employees throughout their careers. It is likely that, in larger organisations, the Chief Happiness Officer rebrand will encourage inclusion and diversity and support vulnerable people. 

Chief Mental Health Officer

The pandemic has led to increased mental health concerns, and organisations are putting employee well-being and mental health concerns at the fore and managing psychosocial risks in the workplace by establishing the new role of Chief Mental Health Officer. It’s still a new consideration for most organisations. Projects that a Chief Mental Health Office could implement include providing support for employees working from home and ensuring essential workplace safety. They can also suggest good practices and strategies for emotional detachment so that employees can set healthy work-life boundaries. Role evaluation, structure, manager expectations and due diligence to care will also be part of their remit for a healthier organisational environment. A Chief Mental Health Officer will ultimately strive to create a positive workplace with future opportunities. 

Chief Community Officer

COVID-19 has forced many employees to work from home; building and maintaining connections and relationships from a distance is complex. How will employees retain a sense of belonging and culture if businesses remain physically disconnected? Gartner's research into hybrid cultures shows concerns about keeping company culture alive. A Chief Community Officer will likely facilitate connections between employees and their managers to maintain a strong culture in increasingly detached workforces. Forward-thinking and supportive leadership practices will bring a sense of community and connection and foster well-being in the workplace. The role will likely build and strengthen external relationships with partners and stakeholders to minimise overall separation.

Chief Sustainability Officer

In today’s deteriorating world, people expect companies to support environmental causes and take steps towards a much more sustainable future. Research in 2022 saw Deloitte and the Institute of International Finance show that 15 per cent of respondents had a CSO in place at their workplace, almost 50 per cent had a Head of Sustainability or equivalent, and 12 per cent had a Head of Environmental, Social and Governance. These roles are expected to grow in importance in the coming years. No matter the title, dedicated environmental roles will become more and more critical. 

Chief Belonging Officer

Responsible for designing and implementing an organisation's diversity and inclusion strategy, a Chief Belonging Officer ensures equal opportunities for employees across various dimensions, including age, gender, race, ethnicity and disability, whilst linking strategies to human resources, legal and business goals. They also hold people accountable for their roles in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) work and by creating a sense of belonging for employees, managers and leaders. They should be sufficiently empowered to make change so that everyone feels like they belong. 

Chief Metaverse Officer

In a world of modern management and the rapid advancement of the internet, Chief Metaverse Officers will plot the next phase of the internet. They will help companies understand what NFTs, blockchain and immersive internet experiences are and what it potentially means for their businesses. McKinsey & Co. consultants estimate that annual global spending related to this virtual landscape could reach a staggering $5 trillion by 2030.