Something that started in 2020 and finally has taken its space in this universe. To better understand what well-being means at the workplace and how to bring teams together. From discovering the World Happiness Foundation in 2021 to the Chief Wellbeing Officer certification in 2024, this is bigger than all of me.
This is my narrative and the path forward to build trust, authenticity and belonging at the workplace and foster a safe environment for wellbeing.
Let’s start with my inner council. I was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder in Feb 2020. I made a promise to help myself and others.
Negative Nancy. Always telling me what’s wrong and not letting me focus on the positive.
Worrisome Will. Always worrying about the next thing. Or the next decision. And it gives me crickets in my stomach.
Over-thinker Bob. Always over analyzing. Trying to justify everything that I do.
And that’s My Positive Pam. I know I got this.
Not all big decisions need to be made at once. And I can see how things go. I don’t need to rush it. And I don’t need all the answers today. Time will tell me what I need to know.
Today is another beautiful day. And I’m going to take it one day at a time.
To all those out there, trying to wake up, and break away from the pain, trust me:
You got this!
If I can do this, so can you!
Happiness + Essentialism
Happiness is not the things that we have.
It wasn’t just about the physical things: it was about making space for things, ideas and passions that really matter.
And that's when I stumbled upon ikigai. Iki means life and gai means worth. Ikigai is your life's worth. Finding your purpose in life. And why you exist? Why you wake up every morning? That's how I stumbled upon mentoring in 2020. When I realized that this was my purpose in life, the reason why I wake up every morning.. I'm blessed and grateful for the opportunities to help and support others.
And this has become my path forward. The road less traveled. You have the power to choose. This is your life. So please make it count from now on. Essentialism is not a lifestyle, it's a state of being happy with what truly matters. So, take a moment, in one word, how would you describe your last week?
Also, pay attention to your values and beliefs. How your week went and how you want your next week to be is grounded in — How you show up? What are your values? What are your beliefs? Inspire, influence and impact became my grounding. It became my check point when I had questions if I am making the right decision. Inspire is all about trust and credibility. To trust and respect each other respective of the level. Influence became about extreme ownership to own, what we do - the good, the bad, and the ugly and be accountable to each other. Impact was all about results and relationships, we strive for team recognition, not individual recognition - We win or lose together.
Oprah says this best - surround yourself with people who are only going to lift you higher. Very true and that's how we should always be. We don't need negative energy or friction if we can avoid it. So, let's make sure we are surrounding ourselves with people who are only going to lift us higher.
Now, well-being is critical, there's enough data to show that once we meet our basic needs, then the shift happens towards happiness, and well-being. And what makes this happen at work? What gives us that sense of belonging, purpose and to be energized is what makes us happy at work? The data shows that there is still work for us to do in creating environments that are safe.
Wellbeing Survey/Assessment
Here are 3x3 ideas/questions on a 1-5 scale(strongly disagree -> strongly agree).
Energy - In most of my work tasks, I feel energized.
Inclusion - My work environment feels inclusive and respectful of all people.
Flexibility - My work has the time and location flexibility I need.
Trust - I can trust people I work with in the company.
Appreciation - There are people at work who appreciate me as a person.
Stress free - I don't feel stressed at work most of the time.
Happiness - I feel happy at work most of the time.
Belonging - I feel a sense of belonging in the company.
Purpose - My work has a clear sense of purpose.
And that provide the environment for us to thrive and continue to feel like we belong.
Here's another quote from Maya Angelou - People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. People will never forget how you made them feel. Very true. When I look back at my career and everything that I've been able to achieve - It's always been the relationships and how each individual or leader has made me feel.
So, let's ask ourselves a question. This was something I stumbled upon at the Jewish Contemporary Museum in San Francisco. It made me stop and think. What makes me me? So let's go through this exercise together. Let's ask ourselves - What actually makes us us.
What makes me me? To give you an example, here are the words that are on that board. Now, let's say you have an orange thread. As you are looking at the words that resonate with you, which of these words come together for you.
Take a moment. Pause, and Select the words that matter for you. For me words like Food, Photos, Nature are all part of that story and I'll show you mine in a few minutes. The next question is, what makes me feel connected. Similarly, take the next thread - the blue thread and connect the dots.
Finally, what makes me grow? Let's take the purple thread and figure out what makes me grow…
Now, this is what it looks like for me. The aspects of who I am.. What makes me me from food to photos to Nature, California. All of these are words that make me Div …
Look at what words and the story come together for you. This is your narrative.
Be the change you wish to see in the world, Mahatma Gandhi.
I wish to be the change I want to see in the world as well.
Our workplaces play a significant role in our lives. Work affects both our physical and mental well-being - in good ways, and bad …
The U.S Surgeon General has shared this resource on mental health and wellbeing which is helpful to look at the core of our Worker voice and equity.
We will focus on three key areas within this.
First is trust. It's all about that. Work-life Harmony. Having that autonomy. Knowing that you are doing the right thing. Then we have authenticity, which is about mattering at work.
It's all about meaning. And the third is about belonging. It's all about that connection, the community inclusion, if you will. We can create cultures of inclusion, and belonging, we can build Society, and social connections at work. What we call pro-social Behavior. To promote social positive relationships through welcoming helping and reassuring others.
That's the workplace culture. We want to build for belonging. And when it comes to looking at aspects, such as autonomy, It's how the work is done. Does the employee have access and of with all the resources they need and the control that they need to get the work done, when they need it where they need it and how they can do it to avoid any working life conflicts, that might be there to build more trust in the workplace and to improve well-being and health.
And when it comes to meaning, this is where we have an opportunity to create and engaging and empowering Workforce. And to improve the workplace experience. Employee Engagement is not just about looking at the organization goals and objectives but also the level of commitment and enthusiasm that employees have Let's create a culture of gratitude and recognition.
This is an opportunity for us to help our employees, feel seen respected needed and valued. When employees feel appreciated recognize and engaged by their leaders. Their sense of value, and meaning increases and, as well as the ability to manage stress. This is Paramount if we want to create well-being at the workplace.
I truly believe in the butterfly effect. That small things matter and we're all connected a small change can lead to significant results over time. And we are creating that change together today here.
The best way to predict the future is to create it. So what are the defining moments that you have experienced in your life moments that either deeply affected you?
Either an inspiration or a pain or something that challenged you - What do you take away from these defining moments? I did a self-reflection in last year which allowed me to ask some of these questions for myself. And I encourage you to check it out.
As you're creating these stories of impact, ask yourself and your team, Do you feel a sense of belonging within your company?
Are you able to maintain a healthy work-life balance? And, What are your top three priorities for well-being?
Thank you for your time. I encourage you to continue this discussion and think about well-being in the workplace. Have a great day.
Presentation: Workplace Wellbeing Workshop - May 2024
Let's build a workplace that is connected with the Mind, Body and Soul.
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