Pioneering a New Era of Workplace Well-Being (PART 2)
Pioneering a New Era of Workplace Well-Being (PART 2)
Written by: Paula Antalffy 4-6 minute read
This is part 2 of a two part series of Google’s "Beyond Employee Well-Being: Creating a Sense of Belonging in the Workplace," whitepaper.
You can find part 1 👉here. 👈
As the workplace landscape undergoes profound transformation, there's an emerging imperative to create environments where every employee feels safe, acknowledged, and, most importantly, like they truly belong.
In this journey toward fostering inclusivity and well-being, employers are adopting objective metrics to assess their progress.
Introducing the White Paper
Amidst this era of transformation, Google is at the forefront of reshaping workplaces for inclusivity and equity. The company’s recent whitepaper "Beyond Employee Well-Being: Creating a Sense of Belonging in the Workplace," delves deep into the remarkable changes occurring within forward-looking companies.
The document delves into how these organisations are reimagining work practices, fostering a culture of belonging, and reshaping leadership behaviours.
In this article, we will explore key insights from the whitepaper and discuss actionable steps businesses can take to implement these findings.
Objective Measures of Success
To gauge the success of well-being initiatives, employers are looking beyond traditional retention and promotion rates. Instead, they're focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion metrics.
This shift represents a commitment to inclusivity and intersectionality.
Key Insight: "To really understand if you’re succeeding with wellness, you have to look at inclusivity and intersectionality and then look at whether there is true empathy for all employees." - Lorraine Hariton, President and CEO of Catalyst.
Redefining Success in a Remote World
The pandemic catalysed remote work and necessitated a reevaluation of what success means in the modern workplace. Surprisingly, some studies suggest that employees have been more productive working from home. This challenges old notions of success when it comes to employee productivity.
Key Insight: "We have to create new data sets and be open to what those could potentially tell us about whether or not the old models of success still apply to today’s workforce." - Minda Harts, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Public Service at NYU.
Measuring Belonging: An Uncharted Territory
A crucial aspect is measuring how "at home" employees feel in their workplace. This metric can reveal disparities in comfort levels among different groups, such as Asian Americans. Therefore, it is clear that creating an inclusive work environment is a much bigger challenge than upon first glance.
For businesses looking to truly make a difference, the goal is to create an environment where everyone can be their authentic selves.
Key Benchmark: Success involves eliminating the need for employees, especially from underrepresented groups, to constantly code-switch to adapt to different cultural norms.
Incorporating Well-Being Policies
Employers are increasingly aware of their role in supporting employees' well-being, going beyond expecting individuals to manage personal challenges on their own. The focus is shifting towards policies and benefits that provide tangible support.
Key Shift: Employers are starting to realise the importance of nurturing conditions that enable their workers' success and a sense of belonging.
Empowering Employee Resource Groups
Employee resource groups (ERGs) have evolved from being perceived as social clubs to playing a pivotal role in creating a sense of belonging. They provide a platform for employees to amplify their voices, share experiences, and address common issues.
ERG Impact: ERGs improve engagement, mentoring, retention, and career advancement for their members. They also serve as conduits for raising collective concerns.
Equipping Managers for Inclusivity
Managers hold a pivotal role in fostering an inclusive environment. Leadership training should now include emotional intelligence, empathy, and conflict resolution. It should aim to empower managers to have crucial conversations about diversity and well-being.
Leadership Skills: Inclusive leadership skills, conflict resolution, and effective communication are no longer considered soft skills but essential competencies for 21st-century leaders.
Taking a Stand
Organisations who are doing more to go beyond employee wellbeing are acknowledging societal issues that impact their employees. Even if they don't take a political stand, they offer support for employees affected by such issues. This demonstrates a commitment to their well-being.
Humanity First: Organisations can show their humanity and support employees without taking a specific stance on contentious issues.
So how can businesses put well-being first?
Are you searching for a solution to prioritise employee well-being and foster a sense of belonging in the evolving workplace landscape? The road to finding this in your businesses through policy making and a conscious shift in culture can often seem like a daunting tast to begin with.
However, innovative apps such as myday are designed to meet the unique challenges highlighted in Google's whitepaper.
myday: Your Partner in Cultivating Workplace Well-Being
As workplaces undergo significant transformations, myday empowers both employees and employers to adapt seamlessly. This cutting-edge tool is revolutionising well-being management, support network creation, and the measurement of success.
Here's how myday caters to the insights shared in the whitepaper:
Integrated Social Features: myday encourages employees to prioritise well-being and build internal and external support networks, fostering a sense of belonging and inclusivity.
Concrete Metrics: Employers gain valuable insights into employee well-being, simplifying the measurement of wellness, and enabling informed decisions.
Global Impact Initiatives: myday rewards employees dedicated to well-being and community-building with verified global impact projects and carbon credits, aligning businesses with human sustainability goals.
In a dynamic landscape where workplaces must become inclusive, equitable, and compassionate environments, myday is not just an option; it's a necessity. Join us on the journey towards creating a workplace where everyone thrives.
Book a Call Today to Revolutionise Your Workplace Well-Being with myday!
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