I did a poll on LinkedIn regarding the current issues faced at the workplace. The responses revealed that interpersonal conflict was 46%; job dissatisfaction, 38%; and bullying, 15%.
I also gathered information on how workplace challenges could be reduced. I themed the information as follows:
1) Communication
There is lack of communication and employees want to have healthy and trusting relationships within the work environment. This will enable them to feel free to have conversations regarding their professional and personal struggles. When the work environment feels tense, this prevents employees from giving honest feedback. Rather they would provide feedback that is ‘expected’ due to fear of the unknown, and just ‘following the crowd’.
2) Emotional wellbeing
Employees request for flexible working hours, leaders to look out their employees’ wellbeing, create a positive and healthy work culture, create a safe environment for employees to share their personal issues. These would help to reduce stress.
Though employees shared their struggles with family members, friends and some get professional help such as counselling, there is a limit. The support family members can provide is limited because they are not experienced with workplace cultures, and they can only take so much.
Considering that most of the waking day is spent at work, how long would an employee sustain negative energies, yet expected to maximise performance.
Workers are trained on various strength-based approaches to help others but not themselves to be well equipped to support others. This is a link to an article that raises this point https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6872161425901674497
3) Work cultures
Leaders focus on the financial aspects on running the business, and need to pay attention to employees’ needs, wellbeing, organise cultures around people to maintain and improve productivity.
I attended the International Year of the Health and Care Workers (YHCW) Webinar on ‘An introduction to systemic workforce planning’ which is a collaboration between World Health Organisation (WHO) and Health Education England (HEE). Thanks to the chair, Prof Ged Byrne and the speakers, Jim Campbell, Dr. Navina Evans and Rob Smith who aim to learn from what is working internationally.
The problem of inadequate resources amongst other issues/challenges prior to COVID. The pandemic just magnified the challenges, and it should not be a diversion from the long-standing problems.
In my opinion, achieving change starts from taking small simple steps rather than massive actions that may feel overwhelming. Change starts from a personal level to examine the beliefs and mindsets and then stretch to communities. There is a saying that ‘no one size fits all’. Workers to be treated as individuals.
What are your suggestions on this topic of employee wellbeing?
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