“Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes – Turn and face the strange”
Remembering the genius of Bowie is rarely unhelpful, especially these days.
Changes are the one constant, not least in the workplace – and HR teams are overwhelmed with hybrid plans.
Some employees will go back full time, others part time, others not at all.
Many workers are happy at home, others need office interaction. Some fear the office, even the commute whilst others have no space at home to function properly. Some may not be offered an office desk at all as hot-desking goes viral.
Even CEOs are handing over their glass boxes to join the hoi polloi as Bloomberg (cleverly) did in the 90s.
Companies may save on their costs but aren’t they passed on to the employee – equipment, printers, broadband, even heating are on the up?
Monitoring worker wellness – a statutory employer obligation – needs new structures to ensure they are effective.
Our view is that leaders can take control and invest in Wellbeing programmes that connect workers, provides support and give valuable guidance to cope with these changes and new conditions.
Above all, they can provide a daily structure that once embedded result in workers feeling, thinking and performing more effectively – able to do and be more for themselves, their companies, and their community.
Reputations are at stake. Being on the right side of this argument – to hire and retain staff – matters now more than ever.
Practical Recommendations
Lead By Example – For wellbeing to take root in an organisation, it is vital to have the support from the top down. Even better is the involvement from senior leadership. When your team sees you and other senior leaders in your organisation share their practices and communicate their struggles with work life integration and other stresses, it creates a human dynamic that draws people together.
Involve Your People – This will not only save on costs, but also concretise the pain points that your wellbeing programme needs to address. It will indicate where employees feel supported and where they need more guidance. By listening to your people you will be able to create a wellbeing programme that answers your people’s needs. Sometimes it’s the little things that make the biggest difference and if you take the time to listen before planning you’ll understand the direction of travel.
Be Ready to Evolve – What’s needed right now may be different to what’s needed in 3 – 6 – 9 months time. Make sure to include time to review and adapt wellbeing initatives and programmes as necessary.