Reimagining Workplace Well-being [Podcast Series]
[:55] Dr. Bantham introduces her guest, Dr. Jessica Grossmeier
Dr. Jessica Grossmeier is CEO at Jessica Grossmeier Consulting.
She is also Author of Reimagining Workplace Well-Being: Fostering a Culture of Purpose, Connection, and Transcendence.
[1:13] Responding to emerging workforce trends
“I started to look at the headlines that were emerging and thinking about how our employers are going to be responding to the emerging needs in our workforce. And the things that I was reading about, I felt, really held value and an answer and a response to these emerging trends of burnout and the quit rates that we were seeing emerge and mental health.”
[2:48] The Great Resignation
“And when asked, the people that quit their jobs last year say I want a more flexible schedule. I want more meaning and purpose and fulfillment in my work. And they want to feel valued, respected and included by their peers. And so these are the needs that employers need to address…”
[6:56] Evolution from a traditional approach to well-being initiatives
“But when it comes to expanding the dimensions of well-being, what we've left behind largely is this need to address meaning and purpose in one's work and to understand that there's a connection between one's purpose in life and their work performance, as well as their well-being.”
[11:48] Changing culture
“And I think that's where a lot of corporates have fallen down on this whole culture change idea is they, they bring in an external company, and they try to outsource it and don't want to take responsibility. And it's hard work because everybody from the top executives through the middle management, directors, supervisor, managerial, it has to influence everything. Your policies, your training, who you hire, who you promote, all of these things can be built into a system that honors caring and a more humanistic approach.”
[15:45] Employer wake-up call
“And so I think organizations will have an opportunity to respond to these pain points, but it might be quite traumatic. I think it might come from investors, from shareholders, from boards of directors, stepping up and applying pressure, and from consumers. Consumers more and more are making decisions with their pocketbooks about, we're not going to support companies that are quite well known in some cases for not treating their employees well.”
[19:26] Next generation well-being initiatives
“To understand if your culture, if your workplace is truly advancing human thriving, we have to understand how our employees feel about what they're experiencing. And when it comes to connection, do I feel seen, heard and valued? And if the answer is no, well, then that's influencing their well-being and it's influencing their team's well-being and performance. And it's going to influence, eventually, the reputation of the company and the ability to attract and retain employees.”
[24:12] Well-being assessments
“But, you can start to infuse these ideas into whatever training you are offering or learning or professional development you're offering. And help them to understand how we treat one another is fundamentally important to how this business performs.”
[27:43] Addressing purpose
“Well, I think one of the things that we've seen in the pandemic is you can try to be taking care of these different dimensions of well-being, but if you haven't addressed meaning and purpose, connection and belonging, and this sense of what helps me to feel alive in my work. If those things are being ignored, then you're leaving opportunity on the table when it comes to well-being.”
