This is what she said. A talented and committed manager about leaving her role. “I left my full time management level role having experienced first hand the difference between survive and thrive and the inextricable link between employees’ health and the company’s health. Huge demands and pressures were piled upon people without the tools to manage, and, crucially, without effective leadership. Cue a domino effect of staff leaving”.
The same story repeats over and over again across the world. On the one hand expectations and on the other, resources. By which I mean the inner resources of companies’ most valuable assets: people. Employee wellbeing, engagement and commercial benefit are inseparably linked. To view them separately risks a landscape of unplumbed talent, decreased drive and less efficient and effective business growth.
‘There has to be visible commitment from the senior leadership team to make these aims a reality and ensure wellbeing is embedded – and taken seriously – across the organisation…Now, more than ever, we need leaders who show compassion and actively foster a culture that engenders trust and kindness.’
— CIPD Health and Wellbeing at Work Survey, 2021
In the workplace, the long term implications of a passive or simply reactive attitude towards health and wellbeing are significant. Taking a step back and investing in employees’ wellbeing is crucial — much more than a superficial sticking plaster exercise.
Crucially, let’s debunk the idea that working all hours leads to increased productivity.
Overwork and loss of productivity go hand in hand;
“One of the primary obstacles keeping many businesses from adopting more sane and sustainable metrics of success is the stubborn — and dangerously wrongheaded — myth that there is a trade-off between high performance at work and taking care of ourselves.”
— Arianna Huffington, Co-Founder & Editor-in-Chief of Huffington Post
It is too simplistic to solely blame demands dictated by management for a culture of overwork. Deep in the roots of corporate culture the simple value of good sleep is drastically underrated. Technologies enable a virtual office at a touch of our fingertips but that constant availability and proximity makes turn off (or even down!) more difficult. Chronic overwork has become a of badge of honour in place. And unfortunately, shrinking sleep becomes a nifty time saving method. Which ignores the clear link between sleep deprivation and decreased cognitive performance.
Today, companies are presented with the challenge and opportunity to approach employee wellbeing in an innovative and sustainable way. We’re not talking about cursory additional box ticking schemes, rather a zoomed out view which incorporates investment in—and an understanding of—what it means to be well.
How to effectively support employee wellbeing and stress management
There is no one answer. Wellbeing spans restorative sleep, shutting off from constant connectivity, eating well, tackling caffeine dependence, exercising, taking time out, goal setting, growth, gaining perspective…the eternal work-life equilibrium we all aim to reach, although we inevitably sway off track.
Reworking protocol and processes and introducing new schemes are all helpful but it’s the individual, the group and the leader who make or break this. Learning what employees will value and integrating a holistic approach to employee wellbeing into a business agenda is key. Not only to competitively appeal to top talent but to retain a prosperous workforce, cultivate ingenuity and increase productivity.
It begins with leadership
Effective leaders take care of themselves, manage stress levels and empower their team. This trickles down. Those you work with are more likely to copy what you do. You set the norm.
Leading with compassion and demonstrating that the learning process is ongoing, that we are all seeking balance and sometimes we get it wrong but that our intentions are real and not for appearances is key. True, impressive benefits packages are likely to attract top candidates, however, what we are highlighting is a long-term view. It is more than cosmetic.
Integration of healthy work and lifestyle habits into the big picture business agenda allows an empowering and supportive climate to evolve. A shift in mindset is required, the tools are within leadership and their employees and the process to unlock these begins at the root.