The Danish Broadcasting
Corporation
has launched a highly interesting new weekly documentary programme called “Undercover Chef”
(meaning Undercover Boss in English). The show lets CEOs experience their own
organization from a new
point of view – that of their employees and costumers. The CEO plays
the role
of a new employee under a false name as his employees patiently
introduce
him to the work routines and daily
life in his own organization.
Last week, the CEO of Danske
Diakonhjem,
which is an organization managing a chain of nursing homes, worked a
few days as
a health care worker. As the visibly emotional CEO was placed
completely powerless in the
stand-up lift that constitutes an indispensable part of many of the
residents’ daily
routines, it was clear that more was at stake than simple role play.
This was a CEO achieving a deeper understanding of the emotional and
social dynamics in the organization he manages, and he left the
experience wiser and more aware of what matters most to his employees
and costumers.
The show airs tuesday nights on DR1 and is available for streaming here (in Denmark only)