World Mental Health Day: 7 Ways To Make Employee’s Wellbeing An Organisational Priority – Forbes India Blogs

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Change brought about by various social, geopolitical, technological, environmental, and economic factors has reshaped the world order for everyone around the world. In the new normal, employees deliberately choose each other and work to reclaim their time, energy, identities, autonomy, and passions. There is a shift in power dynamics from organizations to people, from profit to mutual prosperity, and from ‘me’ to ‘we’. Employees today want more: well-being integrated into their work experience, meaningful work coupled with personal purpose aligned with the organization, flexibility of place and time to work from anywhere, anytime. And they are not shy about changing organizations to get what they need. Therefore, in the midst of today’s great resignation, it is imperative that HR leaders pave the way for a great recovery by building a happy workplace.

Wellness of Business to Wellness Before Business

To further our collective vision of a happy workplace where conversations about mental health are free from stigma, general wellness is valued, diversity of thought is appreciated, and differences based on age, ethnicity, race, style of life and social status, and where everyone has equal access. to health care, we must drive the shift from business wellness to wellness before business.

Globally, an estimated 12 billion working days are lost each year due to depression and anxiety. It is now more important than ever to create a nurturing work culture and provide an employee experience that is meaningful, flexible, empowering, collaborative and inspiring. The happy worker-productive worker thesis suggests that workers who experience high levels of well-being and satisfaction perform well.

As HR leaders prepare to solve unprecedented challenges, they must focus on seven imperatives for building a happy workplace.

1) Invest in the individual, not just the employee

Today, employees seek opportunities for personal and professional growth from their employers. For decades, organizations have recognized the importance of training, development and skills. However, with the lines between work and home becoming increasingly blurred, it is critical that organizations invest in the individual, not just the employee. Growth opportunities can no longer be limited to professional development, it is essential that organizations prioritize the comprehensive well-being of employees. the employee health and wellness directly influence their behavior at work, rates of absenteeism and productivity. There is an economic link between employee satisfaction and a company’s financial performance.

Happy employees equal happy customers and, ultimately, happy shareholders.

2) Normalize downtime

Our brain is only capable of maintaining concentration for 45 minutes. Mental breaks and downtime not only improve focus but also increase productivity. Despite this, downtime is frowned upon and companies continue to glorify the culture of overwork and reward employees who work long hours. This guarantees a change not only on the part of the employers, but also of the employees. While leaders must set the tone, lead by example, and set clear boundaries, employees must stick to those boundaries.

Also read: A roadmap for CEOs to create an inclusive workplace for people with mental illness

3) Opportunity to be part of something bigger

Everyone likes to be a part of something bigger. Today, employees no longer come to the office just for work, but are also concerned about the growth of the organization, its sustainability, diversity, equity, inclusion initiatives and their own contribution to them. They want to do meaningful work and have their personal purpose aligned with the larger organizational goal. Organizations that help set meaningful goals can engage employees more efficiently.

4) Prioritize results instead of tracking results

With a remote workforce, organizations no longer need to focus on tracking results like login times and breaks, but on results. People managers need to focus on data over perceptions, results over output, and empowerment over supervision. This makes the workforce happy with less conflict in performance reviews.

5) Great leaders are great listeners

In today’s age, organizations need to create an effective two-way feedback mechanism. Loyal and engaged employees appreciate a workplace culture where their input and opinions are valued. With a strong feedback mechanism, organizations can build a culture of trust, fairness, and transparency, which, in turn, can spark conversations that matter to employees.

6) Build a respectful culture

Most employees remain accommodating when it comes to demanding bosses, as long as they treat all employees fairly and with respect. Research studies show that toxic workplace behavior is the biggest driver of negative workplace outcomes, such as burnout and intention to leave. Respect and job satisfaction have become as important as monetary payments.

7) Reward good work

Recognition and recognition can not only motivate employees who perform well, but also inspire other employees to do the same. Positive reinforcement pushes employees to do their best work, helps retain employees, and decreases stress and absenteeism at work.

The golden rule for 21st century businesses is to provide employees with the resources to be happy, healthy and productive. Employee mental health is no longer optional or avoidable for employers. Instead, it has become the new benchmark for large employers.

The writer is a global chief people officer and chief marketing officer for Tech Mahindra.

The thoughts and opinions shared here are those of the author.