Well-being in the workplace

According to Gallup’s ‘State of the global workplace’ report, only 23% of employees worldwide are engaged in their work. This means that 77% are not engaged or are actively disengaged.

One might think that this statistic may not be as much of an issue in civil society organizations. However, the report titled ‘Wellbeing inspires welldoing’bby The Wellbeing Project highlights the prevalence of burnout and stress among change-makers as well. This is something worth working on in the civil society space.

Individual well-being and well-being in the organizations that they work in are integrally tied to each other. People who consciously take care of their own well-being are likely to contribute to the well-being of their colleagues in particular, and that of the workplace in general. However, lack of support at the organizational level often contributes to stress and disengagement.

This is somewhat of a chicken and egg situation. However, it need not be so. One can always begin as/with an individual. The key to well-being at the workplace starts with each intentional individual prioritizing their own wellness. A key aspect of this process is the development of an attitude of interiority. This helps people become aware of their inner landscapes. It also makes them mindful of the richness of other people’s inner lives.

The journey toward well-being can be nurtured through structured practices and processes. Sometimes this needs external facilitation. To be able to build organizations that prioritize well-being, certain cultural shifts are needed.

This, more often than not, needs an understanding at the level of the leadership that well-being needs to be prioritized and consciously pursued. This is because the related processes span a whole gamut of processes, ranging from the financial, to those pertaining to mental and physical health, and to policies related to human resources.

Well-being at the workplace is the crying need of the hour. Focusing on well-being at the workplace can help us bring a much-needed focus on our organizational development journeys, build supportive and nurturing workplaces, and help us walk the talk.