The comfort of connecting with the leadership for proactive healthcare needs forms the basis of the culture of wellness at the workplace
Imagine if team sync-ups began by checking on coworkers or with mindful conversations that focus on well-being. Employees may be apprehensive about discussing physical or mental health for a variety of reasons. This can go unnoticed and eventually cause one to feel uncomfortable in bringing up their personal issues. Over time, this inability to discuss health-related concerns can turn into a communication barrier, preventing free-flowing, high-impact conversations.
Instead, if the leaders of an organisation encourage open discussions and establish a supportive environment, they can build trust and reduce employee apprehension about discussing their health and wellness-related concerns. The need of the hour for Indian corporate companies is not just to nurture a sense of well-being but also to ensure open conversation about one's health. A culture of wellness, where the employees’ emotional well-being is prioritised, is paramount to demand and build a fundamental shift in how businesses build emotionally safe workplaces.
This calls for a shift in how businesses can be enriched by prioritising employee wellbeing. At the same time, the individual employees need to be proactive about their health needs. Hence, an employee should be able to talk about her Pap smear or digital mammogram — the preventive/screening tests for cervical and breast cancer cases, or an ECG test result or HbA1C report with the same ease as one would discuss a common cold or chronic pain. Further, employees should be able to freely list the reason for their medical leave, irrespective of whether it is for physical or mental health issues. They should feel seen, heard and supported while employee privacy is maintained.
Further, there is a need to enhance the emotional intelligence of team leads and managers to equip them to empathise with their team members and handle complicated conversations about delicate topics with sensitivity. This allows their team to open up more freely and, over time, help in building resilient workplaces. The culture of wellness can become the norm in the office, with empathy being the language of conversations to foster a sense of inclusiveness.
Inside India Inc’s Emotional Struggle: 84% of Employees Report Low Mood
A recent study (1) by HCL Healthcare, based on over 4200 emotional wellness consultations conducted across five major Indian companies, showed that 84% of employees reported low mood, whereas 59% experienced moderate to severe anxiety. The study also highlighted the need for a good night’s rest — 20% of the surveyed individuals reported poor quality of sleep and over 47% reported less than seven hours of sleep every night.
The global scenario is not very different. Corporate leaders have been stressing the need for work-life balance. Meta CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, is known for advocating making employees feel “at home”, supporting the need for workplace wellness and making one feel comfortable to discuss their concerns without the fear of being isolated.
In addition, employees should be made aware of the onsite healthcare centres not just for emergencies but also for diagnostics, mental health support, vaccination drives, consultations with gynaecologists or orthopaedists, and even speciality services like physiotherapy and maternity support. During the pandemic, for example, getting the Covid vaccination became a discussion point, which led to creating awareness and helping those who may have had vaccine hesitancy.
Comfort of Connecting with Leadership
Deepika Padukone, Indian actor and champion of mental health awareness, through her LiveLoveLaugh Foundation, which works on erasing the stigma associated with mental health, stresses the need to encourage help-seeking behaviour. Padukone, who has been appointed the first-ever Mental Health Ambassador of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, firmly believes that ‘downtime is essential, not unproductive.’ (2)
A Colleague can be a Helping Hand
With the younger workforce becoming increasingly vulnerable to non-communicable diseases like obesity, diabetes and cardiac issues, casual conversations about one’s exercise routine, food habits, lowering junk food consumption and eating mindfully can help motivate others. Employees can team up and engage in the following group activities that can create a sense of well-being every day:
Following the 20-20-20 rule: After sitting and working for 20 minutes, take a 20-second break and look 20 feet away from the screen. Doing this consistently can help in reducing eye strain from constant screen exposure.
Don’t miss your Zumba/dance/yoga sessions: Joining a group activity can help in building social connections, boost motivation, and help in reducing stress. It can nurture a sense of belongingness and set fitness goals.
Take a walk after every meal: Post-meal activities like walking or climbing stairs can help avoid bloating or feeling overly full. It also helps in warding off lethargy in the post-meal work hours. Further, it enhances digestion and nutrient absorption and helps manage blood sugar levels. Boosting glucose absorption also increases insulin sensitivity.
Such activities foster better connections between employees. An emotionally intelligent colleague or team lead at your bay can always be a helping hand in case of any emergencies, or even when one needs someone to listen.