Aitch Are Gives You...
Blimey, it's been 3 months or so since my last blog!
Sorry about that. What better way to remedy this than dive into the issue of wellbeing? Very much top-of-mind for most of us, I suspect. Over the past few years, there has been an increasing recognition amongst employers of the benefits that arise from supporting the wellbeing of their employees. Covid has acted as an accelerator to this trend as employers have had to make a rapid transition to remote working. It is against this backdrop that Gethin Nadin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gethinnadin/ - best-selling author of "A World of Good", a qualified psychologist, a recognized global influencer in the HR world and someone I have been following on Twitter - @WorldofGoodBook) dropped in on the International HR Forum's weekly gathering to facilitate a conversation about the impact of Covid on wellbeing. The opening question was a humdinger - why has wellbeing become so important to organisations? In the ensuing conversation there was recognition that the pivot to remote working has been a trigger and an accelerator for wellbeing. There was also broad consensus on the changing attitudes amongst employers towards mental health, although some companies may be more genuine in this area than those who perhaps saw it as a bandwagon to jump on. From a commercial perspective there is a growing body of evidence linking wellbeing to productivity and performance, and it is also clear that there is a growing demand from investors to understand how businesses are addressing wellbeing. At its broadest, the focus on wellbeing is a move to focus on positive employee experience and putting people at the centre of decision-making. Gethin also made the point that even before the pandemic, at a socio-political level, wellness was starting to enter the mainstream as governments sought to reassess what a successful country looks like, with one measure increasingly being seen as the happiness and wellbeing of its inhabitants. Having established the importance of wellbeing, we took a step back to discuss what we actually mean by wellbeing? Ultimately, what makes people happy is personal, but would typically include factors such as social bonds, lifestyle, spiritual and cultural pursuits, good mental health, altruism, the ability to take time off work and financial control. Looking at how the pandemic has changed attitudes to employee wellbeing, the feeling was that there is increased empathy, a "reset" on how to make things work on a virtual basis, an ability for companies to "put our money where our mouth is" in terms of wellbeing, and a recognition of the importance of the role of managers at this time. Given that the mental health impact of Covid will outlast the pandemic itself, employers have to prepare for dealing with the implications of this. In a recent Willis Towers Watson survey, 60% of employers believe there will be a serious ongoing impact on wellbeing. And the World Economic Forum survey showed that 50% of the workforce feel more stressed, struggle to find a work/life balance that works for them, feel isolated and also have other additional stresses outside of work. This has been accompanied by a shift in employee expectations. Surveys show that more than half of employees believe they have not been supported during Covid, and a higher proportion would choose an employer with a reputation for looking after their people during uncertain times, including the provision of benefits to help manage health and wellbeing. The "employer brand" has come to the fore. So how should employers go about creating an impactful wellbeing strategy? Gethin outlined 5 focus areas: 1. Financial wellbeing. A sense of control over ones finances. 2. Emotional wellbeing. A positive sense of wellbeing and happiness. 3. Physical wellbeing. Healthy behaviours and habits. 4. Community wellbeing. Connections with colleagues, friends and family. 5. Leisure wellbeing. Individual pursuits that improve subjective wellbeing. Time caught up with us, and our hour was over in a flash. A huge thanks to Gethin for kindly taking time out to share his thoughts. Further reading: https://engageforsuccess.org/wellbeing-special-report https://reba.global/content/can-behavioural-science-help-us-to-improve-employee-wellbeing https://www.hrzone.com/engage/employees/financial-wellbeing-five-top-tips-to-help-your-people-through-economic-recovery https://www.hrzone.com/engage/employees/why-covid-19-is-a-threat-to-womens-wellbeing-at-work https://reba.global/content/how-employee-expectations-of-a-more-responsible-and-sustainable-strategy-are-changing-benefits https://reba.global/content/how-to-personalise-workplace-wellbeing-through-wellbeing-spending-accounts https://www.hrzone.com/perform/people/employee-experience-looking-after-the-mental-health-of-customer-facing-employees Be good, stay well.
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AuthorSenior HR executive who has seen it all. On a mission to simplify the world of work. Archives
May 2020
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