Muscat: Alizz Islamic Bank recently hosted international motivational speaker Manoj Anchan to conduct a course on the ancient Japanese framework ‘IKIGAI’ for the bank employees.

The term ‘IKIGAI’ is formed from two Japanese words: iki (meaning ‘alive’) and kai (meaning ‘effect’) to translate to Purpose of happiness’. It is a framework for finding purpose in life. The philosophy combines four fundamental components that represent passion, profession, mission and vocation.  This is where passion, skills, societal contributions and financial rewards align. By identifying ‘IKIGAI’ the individual can find a deeper sense of meaning and satisfaction in both life and work. 

Manoj Anchan is a reknowned motivational speaker, purpose researcher and a happiness advocate. He studied happiness concepts namely Ikigai from Japan, Hygge from Denmark, Lagom from Sweden, Sisu from Finland and the Gross National Happiness from Bhutan. Passionate about bringing out a positive change in society through happiness, he launched HQGPL, a venture promoting mental health, well-being and happiness. He is a Gross Global Happiness Summit Presenter, board member of the startup school Indus Bangalore international as their mentor, a part of the education committee of the IMC Chamber of Commerce and an adjunct professor at a leading business school. 

Speaking about the session, Ms. Sumaya Al Nabhani, Head of Learning & Development at Alizz Islamic Bank said “At Alizz Islamic Bank – employee wellbeing is of utmost priority which is why we believe in educating them on the best global practices with regards to work life balance. We are honoured to have hosted Mr. Manoj and to have such an esteemed speaker touch upon the importance of people pursuing their passion, focusing on the strength of professional skills, contributing and helping others are all considered key to success and happiness”. 

Alizz Islamic Bank underlines the importance of the critical role that skill development plays in overcoming challenges and promoting economic growth and aims to bridge the gap between education and employment, promoting economic growth and social inclusion. The bank continuously strives to develop the future leaders of Oman; placing great importance on education, training and development, empowering future generations and equipping them with the skills and capabilities needed to contribute their creative potential towards serving their communities.