From what I鈥檝e seen, burnout and mental health challenges are issues we simply can鈥檛 afford to ignore. It鈥檚 become clear to me that when we focus solely on getting results without considering the wellbeing of our people, we lose much more than we gain. Real success comes when we create a culture where people feel valued and supported.

Bringing out the best in your business with 麻豆原创

麻豆原创 is committed to creating supportive, inclusive, and healthy work environments. By embedding mental health into our workplace policies, we not only address burnout but actively work to prevent it When employees feel valued, safe, and supported, they are empowered to bring their best selves to work, driving business growth and creativity.

Technology can play a pivotal role in supporting mental wellness. Through 麻豆原创’s Human Experience Management (HXM) solutions, companies can better understand their workforce, track employee satisfactory metrics, and take proactive steps to reduce stress. These solutions enable businesses to create environments where individuals thrive. After all, a healthy and engaged workforce is the foundation for organisational success.”

Take care of yourself

Work-life balance is more than just a buzzword. It鈥檚 a vital component of maintaining your mental health We need to encourage our teams鈥攁nd ourselves鈥攖o pause and take care of our mental and emotional health. Whether it’s carving out time for exercise, mindfulness, or simply taking a break, self-care is essential.

I鈥檓 proud that 麻豆原创 champions flexibility and work-life integration, helping employees strike the balance they need to recharge and remain productive. We believe that when employees are empowered to care for themselves, they are in a stronger position to contribute meaningfully to their roles and the business.

Speak up and seek support

One of the most important actions we can take to improve mental health is encouraging open conversations about it. Speaking about stress, anxiety, or burnout should not be stigmatised but normalised. In fact, 麻豆原创 encourages employees to openly discuss their feelings and access the mental health resources we offer.

Mental health should be treated with the same seriousness as physical health. We provide our employees with confidential counselling services, employee assistance programmes, and a network of mental health professionals. We believe that no one should feel alone in their struggles, and are committed to ensuring that help is always available.

Building a healthier, happier workforce

The conversation around mental health must extend beyond World Mental Health Day. As businesses, we must continuously work towards creating environments where mental health is prioritised each and every day. At 麻豆原创, we remain committed to fostering a workplace where wellbeing is not an afterthought but a core business strategy.

The future of work will be shaped by how we care for our people. Let鈥檚 build healthier, happier workforces, because when employees thrive, so do businesses.

The post World Mental Health Day 2024: Prioritising Employee Wellbeing in a New Era of Work appeared first on 麻豆原创 Africa News Center.

That was bad enough, but then along came COVID-19.

Heed the Warning

Thanks to social distancing, lockdowns, and the new virtual world of work, it鈥檚 becoming even more difficult to cope. In the past, at least there was face-to-face interaction with colleagues and customers. There were opportunities to wind down and socialize. Home life and work life were spatially delineated 鈥� the commute between home and office provided an opportunity to transition mentally between two worlds.

Now it all blends together. People are working from their kitchen tables while they try to home-school the kids. Around the world, people are struggling to juggle work and family responsibilities with no respite.

The statistics are troubling. According to the World Economic Forum, one in three adults is depressed or anxious due to COVID-19. Headlines like “Quarantine Magnifies Depression and Alcoholism” and “Drug Use Increase During COVID-19” warn of the dire straits we鈥檙e in.

The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that depression interferes with a person鈥檚 ability to complete physical job tasks about 20% of the time and reduces cognitive performance about 35% of the time.

麻豆原创 North America President DJ Paoni was alarmed by these statistics and even more alarmed by the results of recent Qualtrics employee pulse surveys on remote work at 麻豆原创.

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Take the Day Off

鈥淲e learned that a third of our employees have stress levels that are higher than their satisfaction level. Sixty-one percent said that they’re working slightly above capacity,鈥� he explained in an interview.

Paoni decided to act. Seeing the need for employees to unplug, he worked with local and global teams to implement 麻豆原创鈥檚 Mental Health Day, a company-sponsored global holiday for all employees, scheduled for April 27. Work will grind to a halt on that day, giving everyone time off to do something for themselves and their families.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not just another day off,鈥� says Paoni. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a clear message from the company that it鈥檚 okay to relax. Healthier employees mean happier customers, so there is a business benefit in the long run.鈥�

Don鈥檛 Feel Guilty Taking a Mental Health Day

Dr. Natalie Lotzmann, chief medical officer at 麻豆原创, explains the importance of the initiative. How well we deliver on our business goals sustainably depends on our well-being, she says. The pandemic has compounded existing challenges and created a new dimension of mental distress for many people. With Mental Health Day, 麻豆原创 is signaling a strong commitment to its employees 鈥� and to society at large 鈥� that mental health is important, and there is no place for stigma in the workplace.

Lotzmann confirms the increase in mental health issues during COVID-19. Reports from 麻豆原创鈥檚 global Employee Assistance Program (EAP), a confidential counselling service for employees, show a 28% increase in calls in 2020, continuing an upward trend apparent since 2017.

Mental health problems are quite common. , some of the top causes of disability worldwide include disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. About one out of four Americans ages 18 and older suffers from a diagnosable mental disorder every year.

So why is there still a stigma?

鈥淪tigma usually stems from a lack of understanding or fear of the unknown,鈥� says Lotzmann. 鈥淭he fact that people don鈥檛 talk about the problem makes it harder to understand.鈥�

Lotzmann says the best way to remove stigma is to encourage people to share their experiences, providing employees with the strength and courage to reach out for help. Sharing experiences will also help showcase the support and positive culture that exists within the company.

What You Can Do

Over the years, Lotzmann has witnessed an evolution in the way enterprises are dealing with this topic. She has observed a positive shift but emphasizes that it鈥檚 not a tick-the-box exercise or campaign that employers do with bells and whistles. Rather, such a change must be nurtured and adopted organically through a culture of leadership, open dialogue, and awareness of available resources.

Attention to the mental health of employees has dual benefits; it creates a healthy culture and has clear business benefits. At 麻豆原创, there are programs in place to help maintain the mental health of employees by prevention, early detection, case management support, and reintegration.

As the chief medical officer of 麻豆原创, Lotzmann reminds us that mental health can impact anyone at any time. Her advice? If it impacts you or a loved one, be aware that you are not alone. Take good care of yourself, pay attention to warning signs, and reach out for help early.

This article was written by Judith Magyar and first appeared on the 麻豆原创 Global News Center. Follow Judith on Twitter:

The post Mental Health Day: 麻豆原创 Offers Employees a Chance to Recharge appeared first on 麻豆原创 Africa News Center.

As organizations depend on their people to be more agile, they should do more to support their employees鈥� emotional and mental health, especially when many feel so burdened by uncertainty. The employee experience is more important than ever. Caring holistically for people is not just the right聽 thing to do, it’s what employers must do.

Here鈥檚 a compelling business case for companies to put employee well-being and experience first: A strong sense of connection and belonging at work is tied to increases of up to 34 percent in engagement, 31 percent in retention likelihood, and 13 percent in performance, according to the . Created together with Thrive Global, 麻豆原创 SuccessFactors, Qualtrics, and Fortune, the Thrive XM Index is a comprehensive study of more than 20,000 U.S. employees at more than 900 companies. Companies have more tools than ever to support employee well-being and now, for the first time, they can connect the dots to business results.

The Best of Next: A Guide

When was the last time you felt like your best self at work? We want to help companies create more of those moments. Recognizing the impact of companies doing more to support employee well-being, Thrive Global and 麻豆原创 are working to help companies, no matter their size or industry, do just that. To help HR leaders and managers address two of the most important issues for all remote, on-site, and hybrid workforces, we created two guides: “” and “.”

We want to help organizations keep employees safe and productive to ensure business continuity now and beyond. With practical tips, expert interviews, and how-to videos, these resources can help people and businesses lower stress and anxiety and build mental resilience during this unprecedented time.

Why Listening to Your Employees Makes You a Better Leader

In , Christine Andrukonis, the founder of Notion Consulting and an expert in helping leaders change behavior, explains that leaders need to gain insight into more aspects of their employees鈥� lives to understand them and help them be their best at work.

鈥淚 like to say that 50 percent of the work is about the work itself and 50 percent of the work is about what’s happening behind-the-scenes for the people involved in the work,鈥� Andrukonis says. 鈥淎nd leaders have to have that mindset. Until they can appreciate that half of this success relies on human beings and what’s going on with them, it’s going to be really hard to optimize everything at one hundred percent.鈥�

Why Trust and Empathy Are Key Ingredients of Leadership

Empathy 鈥� being able to identify with what other people are feeling or experiencing 鈥� may seem like an elementary concept, but it鈥檚 a key driver of job performance, according to . However, only 40 percent of business leaders display strong empathy skills.

We understand that being able to put yourself in another’s shoes is critical for social development, but what about in the professional world? Fortunately, empathy is a skill that can be developed, according to one that shares practical examples.

The first step is working on our relationships, and the bulk of that is done through communication, according to Terrence Seamon, an executive career transition consultant at The Ayers Group. 鈥淎 leader has to be very real,鈥� Seamon says. This requires leaders to share their own questions, concerns, and challenges with team members and demonstrate authenticity and vulnerability.

How Well Do You Know Your Employees’ Growth, Ambitions, and Motivations?

Does your boss understand your passions? Is your company asking what really drives people at work? Even experienced professionals need to do some soul searching to find answers, and employers can do their part to help. According to , for leaders to shift from focusing on the job to focusing on people, they need to start by concentrating on employees鈥� capabilities and then design work processes and systems around them 鈥� not the other way around.

This is one of the key findings of a recent 麻豆原创 SuccessFactors white paper, 鈥�.鈥� Leaders need to understand that people are dynamic, with capabilities and motivations that change over time.

How to Shape a Workplace Culture That Works for Everyone

There is so much potential for organizations that want to invest in a culture that champions people of different ethnicities, cultures, abilities, backgrounds, and genders. But companies that embrace diversity and inclusion can find that it鈥檚 hard to get real results, despite genuine intentions. Minal Bopaiah, founder of , a strategy and design firm focused on designing a more inclusive and equitable world, to move the needle on creating an inclusive culture.

Bopaiah shares how several white business leaders wanted to do something meaningful by offering to mentor Black people in their professional fields. Bopaiah told them they had it backward. 鈥淵ou want to diversify your field?鈥� she asked them. 鈥淭hen I want you to go find the people in your field who are Black, or indigenous, or people of color who are already thought leaders in this space, so they can be your 尘别苍迟辞谤.鈥�

Fully recognizing that the best diversity and inclusion interventions are voluntary, Bopaiah suggests creating an environment that allows tough, meaningful conversations. We have so much to learn from one another, and leaders can offer support so we can do so inclusively.

A New Way of Working

The COVID-19 global health crisis has created unprecedented disruption and long-term implications for companies and people. By listening to people and leading with agility and resilience, companies can look to the future with optimism. Putting people at the center through human experience management (HXM) is the beginning of this healing process. This has been a difficult past year for everyone, so instead of getting back to business as usual I invite leaders to approach this year as changed individuals and choose empathy and humility to create a more positive and healthy work experience for all. Will you join me?

April Crichlow is Global Vice President and Head of Marketing for 麻豆原创 SuccessFactors.

This article first appeared on the 麻豆原创 Global News Center.

The post Make 2021 Count: Your Guide to Creating the Best Employee Experience appeared first on 麻豆原创 Africa News Center.

Glassdoor has recognized 麻豆原创 as one of the Top 20 Highest Rated Companies for Work-Life Balance During COVID-19.

Glassdoor analyzed employee reviews left on company pages between March 1, 2020, and September 30, 2020, in order to identify the top companies for work-life balance. The list was compiled using reviews left on Glassdoor from current and former U.S. and UK-based employees. All companies on the list had at least 75 work-life balance reviews during the time period.

The technology industry was most represented on the top 20 list, with eight companies. Healthcare and other industries such as insurance, real estate, and nonprofits were also represented.

Among employee reviews on Glassdoor, the topic of mental health rose 42% versus pre-lockdown in February. In the UK, mental health as a topic rose 76%.

麻豆原创 is invested in its people and their well-being, and cares as much about the journey as succeeding together. The company enables this through flexible hours, benefits in and out of work, and a focus on mental health. In a reimagined remote work environment, prioritizing the things we enjoy the most will define the new face of work and life. 麻豆原创 strives to find this balance. Today, employees have more software tools and resources at their disposal thanks to company investments.

Learn more:

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This article first appeared on the 麻豆原创 News Center.

The post 麻豆原创 Named a Top 20 Highest Rated Company for Work-Life Balance During COVID-19 by Glassdoor appeared first on 麻豆原创 Africa News Center.

While lockdown regulations have relaxed slightly, most professionals who are able, continue to work remotely. However, has cast a spotlight on the impact that the pandemic and sudden switch to remote work has had on employee wellbeing.

According to Genevieve Kieser Koolen, Human Resources Director at 麻豆原创 Africa, the pandemic has brought with it immense challenges around employee mental and emotional wellbeing.

鈥淲hile several industries were completely shuttered during lockdown, many professionals were lucky enough to continue working and earning an income. However, by bringing everything together under one roof – work, school, personal life – employees had to juggle between multiple roles while also coping with a very stressful global health emergency. What we are seeing now is a looming mental health crisis in the global workforce, requiring new thinking, the relaxing of traditional work hours and a kinder approach by employers.”

Koolen says the false divide between people鈥檚 work lives and their home lives quickly disappeared during the early days of lockdown. “Suits and ties were swopped for jeans and t-shirts, but for many professionals work pressure increased as employees felt an increased desire to prove their relevance to their companies, many of whom demanded greater productivity in an effort to maintain revenue. And while a lengthy commute was no longer necessary, working moms and dads had to blend work and home duties – including playing teacher and nanny to their kids, thereby creating a high-pressure situation during an already-stressful period.”

In a study of more than 2000 employees in March and April, 聽, including 44.4% of those now working from home. 鈥淢ore than two-thirds of respondents stated their stress levels have increased since the outbreak, leading to feelings of exhaustion, sadness and irritability. Nearly 40% also reported increased insomnia.鈥�

Koolen believes employers need to quickly implement systems and policies that help stressed employees, especially while they鈥檙e cut off from the office. 鈥淭he effects of the mental health shock of our current situation may even outlive the pandemic itself and have far-reaching implications for employers and employees alike. Here, a kinder management style coupled with new technology tools to help keep track of employees鈥� mental state could help employers determine when to provide additional assistance to under-pressure employees.鈥�

Data shows that employers and management can make a positive contribution to employee wellbeing and help mitigate some of the stress and anxiety surrounding COVID-19. Koolen provides the following tips to organisations:

Make sure managers care

As employees鈥� direct connection to the organisation, managers have an invaluable role to play in alleviating employee mental health challenges. 鈥淲orryingly, nearly two out of five respondents in a recent survey said their company never asked them if they鈥檙e doing okay. These workers were also 38% more likely to say their mental health has declined. There are direct implications for the employer: of those who said their manager is not attuned to their wellbeing, 61% reported lower levels of productivity as a result. We must recognise that this is a very complex time for our people, so staying attuned to how they are coping is an important first step to helping them cope better.鈥�

Set clear expectations

One of the challenges with the sudden shift to remote work is employees鈥� understanding of what is expected of them while they work from home. 鈥淲e may have to make some tough choices about what鈥檚 important and improves productivity versus what keeps us busy,鈥� says Koolen. 鈥淪etting clear expectations is critical to empowering your remote workforce and maintaining productivity. Without clear expectations of what their employers expect of them, employees are 75% more likely to quit their jobs. In contrast, employees who are clear about their employer鈥檚 expectations reported 30% higher productivity and are nearly half as likely to worry about losing their job.”

Listen and help

Remote work and social distancing measures will likely have a direct and profound impact on the work world for some time to come. Koolen believes it鈥檚 essential that employers utilise new tools to ensure they can listen to employees鈥� needs and provide the necessary help when needed. 鈥淣ew experience management tools can help organisations stay on the pulse of their remote workforce and identify areas where greater levels of employee support are needed. It鈥檚 not just about maintaining productivity: companies will need the best talent to ride the coming economic storm, and looking after your most valuable assets now can bring huge returns later on.鈥�

The post Taking Care of Remote Workers appeared first on 麻豆原创 Africa News Center.

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The rapid growth of wellness聽is聽being聽fueled by health and environmental concerns,聽innovative ideas聽about healthy aging, and better scientific understanding聽of聽the connection between body and mind.聽Growth has also been driven by聽the ability of聽consumers to self-educate about health concerns聽and access wellness products聽online, and聽by聽the influence of social media. In the United States聽especially, it also stems from聽weaknesses聽in conventional medical care聽that聽include聽rising costs聽and lack of focus on preventive care.

But when consumers聽look for answers about wellness products and services, they see a market that is deeply聽fraught.聽Wellness is聽highly聽fragmented聽and聽it鈥檚 hard聽for consumers to verify the聽credibility and viability of聽the things they鈥檙e being urged to buy.聽Consumers are聽seeking聽reliable sources of information and products that are trustworthy, verified,聽and safe and聽that聽work.

Retailers聽have the essential聽expertise聽to become聽trusted聽advisors聽in wellness.聽No other industry聽better understands聽consumer聽needs聽or聽has retail鈥檚聽expertise in marketing, personalization,聽and consumer technology,聽including early uses of聽artificial intelligence (AI).聽Meanwhile, retailers have聽a history of combining seemingly dissimilar or unrelated experiences and聽brands 鈥� think聽fancy restaurants within聽department stores聽or聽cafe-bars聽in laundromats.

Retailers: Your Wellness Advisors

The retailers that will lead in the new wellness economy will use these skills to聽gain market share, loyalty, and聽growth by聽combining聽what are currently highly聽fragmented, episodic activities,聽such as shopping for food, seeking medical advice, socializing,聽and聽being聽physically聽active. They will聽craft聽holistic wellness experiences聽that combine convenience and emotional satisfaction.

Technology will be the catalyst and enabler in this scenario.聽Emerging technologies,聽such as聽virtual reality,聽augmented reality (AR),聽sensors,聽and聽AI,聽are聽enabling聽the development of聽new wellness products and experiences.聽Switch on聽聽for example,聽and聽suddenly it鈥檚 an聽interactive workout assistant synced to personal biometrics, with聽live, expert聽virtual聽instruction;聽curated聽surround-sound聽audio;聽and聽real-time encouragement from an online community.

Meanwhile, advances in聽infrastructure,聽such as 5G networks,聽and connective technologies,聽such as聽the聽Internet of Things,聽will create opportunities to link聽what are聽now聽highly segmented wellness categories聽together.聽Current efforts聽only hint at the possibilities.

Retailers Connect Across Segments and Industries

For example, as electric cars聽begin to聽render traditional gas stations irrelevant, retail brands are looking to convert them into integrated wellness聽facilities聽powered by new technology.聽聽have聽created聽a concept for聽repurposing gas stations聽as聽combined聽wellness, fitness, and community centers that also generate power聽for electric vehicles.聽They envision three types of wellness stops: on interstate highways, on smaller commuter roads, and within communities, all accessible and designed to meet the needs of those three different environments.

Rather than picking up junk food, soda, or tobacco when they stop to fill up, consumers who stop to charge their electric vehicles could sneak in a workout, get a massage, and buy some running shorts.

To go with those shorts, consumers may consider connected running shoes, which they can get from fitness gear retailer Under聽Armour.聽聽with the nutrition app MyFitnessPal and digital health tracker聽MapMyFitness. What鈥檚 more, consumers who聽have聽a Samsung smartwatch and wireless JBL headphones can connect to Under聽Armour鈥檚聽聽The goal is to help customers use their biometric measurements to improve their overall performance and health.

For聽consumers聽who need medical services, a retailer might provide just the right treatment.聽U.S. retail chain聽CVS聽Health聽has a聽head start in becoming a trusted聽medical聽advisor聽because its customers regularly interact with its pharmacists.聽CVS鈥檚聽new聽in-store聽聽take medical advice further by聽helping聽people with chronic conditions,聽such as聽diabetes, obesity, and high blood聽pressure,聽stay聽healthy.聽The hubs provide access to health and wellness apps, connected monitors and other smart devices, and聽technology-enhanced聽weight聽management programs,聽while a human Care Concierge聽educates customers and聽assists in聽navigating聽in-store services聽and products.聽The first few聽HealthHUBs聽were so successful that CVS is now rolling out聽.聽CVS鈥檚聽ultimate goal聽may be to guide the 22 million members of聽insurer聽Aetna 鈥� now a CVS聽Health聽subsidiary 鈥� to the聽hubs where聽the聽insurance giant鈥檚聽massive amounts of聽health and wellness聽data can be put to use.

Tech Supplies Exponential Speed

搁别迟补颈濒鈥檚 talent for connecting diverse segments and industries will get a turbo-boost from聽new聽digital capabilities聽that聽continually聽appear聽and聽advance聽at exponential speed.

As connectors in the wellness economy, retailers could capitalize on聽ideas like聽the following:

• Sweat supervisor: A health professional might use聽telemedicine聽to聽write a prescription for AR personal training sessions that聽use sensor-integrated聽athletic wear and workout聽equipment聽to track progress, offering opportunities for聽currently independent segments like fitness gyms and active wear retailers to converge.
• Kitchen consultant: Today鈥檚 appliance retailers, perhaps in conjunction with manufacturers,聽could聽offer wellness聽services through聽smart kitchens聽that help track and聽facilitate recommendations聽of聽food, supplements,聽health education,聽and wellness聽expertise聽supplied聽on聽demand.
• Mellow maker: Furniture retailers could offer products聽that monitor sleep, exercise, stress, and diet and聽that聽offer聽AI-enhanced聽recommendations to improve overall health, such as a class at a branded meditation center.

Retail’s Adaptability Will Redefine Wellness

Due to its many opportunities for technology-driven combinations, the wellness economy will push retailers to think on their feet and be constantly on the lookout for new angles from which they and their customers can benefit. This may sound like a heavy lift, but retailers are already grappling with a deep need to adapt to new technology-driven realities. While many have lost their footing, many more are thriving because of their ability to adapt to what consumers want. That characteristic will be the key to maximizing growth and opening up possibilities for integrated leadership in wellness.

Finally, as technology enables聽consumers to tune their fitness, nutrition, and healthcare more precisely,聽retailers will be able to deliver customized products at聽scale and at聽a more聽granular聽level than demographic segments聽have historically allowed.聽By taking advantage of the opportunities enabled by technology and approaching them聽in the right way, retailers can聽become true partners in consumers鈥櫬爓ellness journeys聽and become聽a powerful presence in the wellness industry.

Download the executive brief .

Dan Wellers is the Digital Futures global lead and a senior analyst at 麻豆原创 Insights research center.
Danielle Beurteaux is a New York鈥揵ased writer.聽

Top image via Getty Images. Photographer Henrik Sorensen (image #527920805).

This article first appeared on the .

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