MAKING WORKPLACES WORK

Organisations need to work smarter at worker welfare – Dr. Muneer Muhamed

According to multiple sources (including a 2018 WHO report and an empirical study by Medici Institute on work related stress in 2020), nearly half of Sri Lanka’s private sector employees appa­rently suffer from depression, anxiety and stress.

And almost 70 percent of them admit that stress from work increased tremendously last year. The pandemic has resulted in a blurred work-life situation, ambiguity in performance metrics and anxiety about financial stability among others.

Sleep apnoea, relationship problems, unhealthy eating habits, lack of exercise and lifestyle issues such as EMI also affect employee wellbeing.

Employers who attract, retain and motivate a great workforce, as well as workplaces that keep their employees physically and mentally healthy, don’t do so by offering amenities such as free food or sleep pods.

Several research studies suggest that having family and friends, and engaging in close relationships, have a direct effect on wellbeing – and that this buf­fers the effects of psychosocial stress. Employees who are less socially integrated seem to have higher mortality rates, cardiovas­cular disease and cancer.

This raises the question as to how organisations can promote a culture of strong interpersonal relationships and social support – especially when over 75 percent of employees say they have no reliable friends in their workplaces.

Yet, many of my C-suite friends vehemently support banning social media access in workplaces. Their reasons range from security threats and lower productivity, to political and religious acrimony, wasteful forwards and system clogging. But chances are that employees will be doing it during work hours anyway.

According to research, 77 percent of employees admitted using social media at work.

Allowing employees access to social media is beneficial in many ways. Taking an occa­sional break for the mind is good for workers and in turn helps productivity. Professional networking – internally and externally – can be helpful to both business and personal career progress.

Social media may encourage people to ask questions and resolve business issues quicker, build stronger bonds among coworkers, and help improve recognition and retention programmes.

Great employers aim for harmony and mental peace for their employees. The first step to achieving this is creating a sense of community feeling in the organisation.

There are many ways to garner social support and build a culture of community feeling in workplaces. So revisit your corporate vision with ample inputs from employees – even if the CEO thinks the company already has a great vision!

The way to instilling a sense of community is by earning the respect of all employees. Open employee participation will eliminate boundaries and walls at different levels. Bring forth the idea that the drivers of any organisation are its workers.

Ensure that all levels of employees comply with corporate policy. It’s important to ensure that no one is above the rules – not even the boss. When rules are bent for one person, dissonance raises its head in parts of the organisation, leading to workplace disharmony.

In contrast, employees feel valued when they realise that the same rules apply to all.

Introduce diversity into the organisation. Not only should the recruitment policy include people of all castes and religions but these recruits should also feel respected.

Train people against biases and enforce zero tolerance of bigotry. As Unilever and IBM have done, establish a direc­to­rate to ensure workplace diversity. This unit should conduct training programmes on respecting diversity, and conduct social events to sensitise workers on the need to embrace multiple cultures through fun and frolic.

Foster positive energy by letting employees speak their mind without fear of punitive measures. Managers must encourage their teams to open up and discuss their frustrations at work. Take employee complaints seriously and have a whistleblower policy in place with timely redress.

Advocate against negativism – and those who don’t comply should be phased out. It may also be a good idea to reward teams for consistent productivity.

Constitute a new employee recognition programme that will honour those who exemplify the values of the organisation. These recognition events can be done quarterly in different depart­ments as social events. Find internal candidates (as many as possible) to achieve next level positions as a continuation of the value system.

Encourage employees to discover their purpose and align with the community. As one Chief Human Resources Officer notes, it’s important to drive purpose for work-life balance and harmony in the employee community.

If human capital is vital to your organisation, recruit, nurture and align it with your enterprise’s strategy and vision. Workers whose values and purpose match those of the organisation will stay longer and be happier than the rest.