HOW TO BUILD A CULTURE OF GOOD (WELL-BEING) IN YOUR WORKPLACE AND WORLD

Is it possible to build a workplace culture where employees are just as excited walking into work in the morning as they are to leave at the end of their workday? I have worked directly with thousands of employees in over 42 states and the challenge we face as leaders is that productivity, retention, recruitment, and even customer experience all ties directly to an employee’s well-being.

Employers that don’t care about the well-being of their employees will be left with employees that don’t care about the well-being of the business.

I work with enough leaders to know that most genuinely care about people. So, how do we lead our organizations in a way that builds a culture of well-being in your workplace and world?

First, a simple definition of well-being: Being well or good. Healthy, happy, and prosperous.

A recent study by O.C. Tanner Institute asked employees to place themselves on a ladder with steps numbered from zero (their worst possible life) to 10 (their best possible life). Overall, employees rated their current general feeling of well-being a 5.91 out of 10. (That’s the reality we have to deal with. We can’t wish it away)

Consider the following three challenging truths to building a culture of well-being in your organization…

1. Well-being is led, not managed.
(Greatest opportunity are leaders with direct reports)

2. There is no work-life balance.
(38% of employees agree their situation at work is hurting their ability to be happy in other aspects of their life)

3. Culture is a feeling, not a program.
(Giving employees a sense of purpose drives belonging and increases feelings of well-being)

As we built the Culture of Good over the last 6 years it has become overwhelmingly obvious that we were increasing the well-being of those employees involved. What we found worked was that making and keeping the following promises as individuals, teams, and the entire organization gave employees a feeling of pride:

1. We will care about the people and the world around us.
2. We will drive the business to greater success, so it can do more good.
3. We will connect with the people around us.
4. We will Inspire others to join is in doing good.
5. We will be authentic in our words and actions.

Although well-being is more complex than just a feeling, how we feel about who we are and what we do lays a foundation for a life full of health and well-being. As leaders we can normalize a workplace where that good feeling starts when an employee starts their work day. We just have to care enough to make it happen.