Why has workplace wellness assumed the importance it has post pandemic? Till then people engagement was the management mantra. Billions were spent on it. Is Wellness the new buzzword or something more permanent?

It has taken far too long a time to recognise wellness as a powerful performance factor rather than an avoidable cost factor in business. If this mind shift is anchored, any resources committed to wellness would be seen as an investment rather than the first line to be cut out in a P&L budget, as is now the case. Businesses and leaders need to recognise that sustained employee wellness is critical to sustained business wellness and growth. 

Though the traditional workplace wellness factors are seen through the lens of mental wellness, and more specifically the toxicity and entropy in a business environment as a result of its culture, it’s good view it through these 3 lenses.  

·      Physical Wellness

·      Emotional wellness

·      Systemic Wellness 

Physical work safety factors, at least minimum required levels, are mandated in most civilised industrialised nations through laws governing   ergonomic and disability issues in addition to hours of work and hazardous conditions. Yet, in many countries, especially in the unorganised sectors, even these basic requirements are flouted. For instance, it’s rare to see wheel chair access in non-metro Indian as well as Asian business spaces. A far-sighted approach to wellness that should be legislated would need to include in addition to common standards of safety, these factors.

·      Ergonomic workspace design taking into account the emerging future of mobile and wearable digital devices, as well as use of robots

·      Facilities to exercise the mind and body, including guidance, through Yoga, meditation and such practices to manage stress and anxiety, without the need for expensive gym equipment

·      Access to affordable healthy nutrition that is designed to enhance mindbody performance 

·      Spaces for rest and recuperation

We see some of this in practice in companies like Google today. Their experiences in these areas, as they did with Project Oxygen and Aristotle could go a long way in defining physical workplace wellness standards in the work-place. 

The second factor of Emotional Wellness is for the most part within the locus of individual control, though this control is often triggered negatively by external factors, both human and non-human. However much we may like to pass the blame to others, our mental wellness is ultimately within our control. We create emotional stress within ourselves. It’s not the environment. Based on our coaching experience, invalidation and sensory greed are major factors that cause of lack of personal emotional wellness. These are sensitive issues to many. We can look at these Emotional Wellness factors in greater detail in future posts based on what readers share. 

The last factor, Systemic Wellness, is perhaps the most important. I rarely see this word used in a wellness context. Systemic Wellness arises from a positive work climate that individuals, their teams and the organisation create jointly. This would include 

·       A structure of well-defined values, purpose, work roles, job descriptions, engaged review, developmental feedback and fair practices in DEI that define the culture of a company. Many companies aspire to this, and some practise. 

·       This structure leading to collaborative teamwork without silos, authentic and open communication in a psychologically safe space. This is not utopian. Many companies are working towards this.

·       Allow people control in what they do with defined outcomes that are meaningful, impactful and supported, which inspire them. 

·       In most cases, happiness and unhappiness, and consequently wellness, depend on the boss and the immediate team. Training all leaders in a coaching mindset of empathy and generative regard is the best way to achieve all these factors of systemic Wellness. 

Systemic Wellness must be a measurable element of the organisational cultural values as would performance, engagement and sustainability. Systemic Wellness assessment would evaluate how each member of an organisation treats another in terms of thinking, speaking, and acting with respect in empathy, and creating a safe and trusted workspace. This mind shift, once anchored, will be a cultural anchor. 

Systemic Wellness is a mindset issue. Emotional Wellness follows. Physical Wellness factors will soon be law in civilised countries. The best way to Systemic Wellness cannot be by law, but through coaching. Our experience with corporate leaders at all levels show that instilling a coaching mindset of communicating with intentional empathy and respect leads to a safe and trusted workspace, which in turn drives engaged and collaborative high performance.

Reflection

·      Where is your company in the systemic wellness scale?

·      As a leader and coach what’s your responsibility? 

This article was published in a different format in https://coacharya.com.

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Ram is a co-founder and mentor at Coacharya https://coacharya.com. Ram's focus is the integration of Eastern wisdom with modern science, spiritually, systemically and sustainably. Visit Coacharya.