| Does being unhealthy mean you are ill with a cold or the flu? Is an unhealthy work place full of ill people with runny noses or 101 degrees fevers? A healthy work place is more than having all your employees with a clean bill of health; it entails various aspects of physical, emotional, intellectual and even spiritual wellness. Communication, effective leadership, appropriate management styles, ergonomics, physical features of the workplace, and efficient use of space are just some of the aspects to be considered when addressing the overall health of a company.
Angela Wagner, MCC, president of Wagner Leadership Group, Inc., has worked with more than 2,500 coaching and training clients ranging from C-suite executives to directors and VPs. One of only 600 Master Certified Coaches worldwide, Wagner also holds masters degrees in counseling psychology and social psychology and had management and executive roles for 17 years. While her company is based in Silverdale, she operates throughout Europe, Asia and North America.
Wagner coaches senior executives to increase their impact, effectiveness, and fulfillment. In addition to individual benefits, Wagner notes that “coaching in the context of the organization’s overall strategy improves employee engagement, company productivity, sales performance, and customer satisfaction.”
“Senior leaders often want their people to be more bold and share their ideas,” Wagner said. “Effective leadership comes from above-down, inside-out. Senior leadership needs to set the tone by doing their own internal work — clear on their intent, purpose, passion, and vision. They need to communicate with clarity and operate with integrity, and foster an environment of mutual trust, respect, and accountability.”
Wagner emphasizes a distinction between using people vs. people being “well-used.” “It’s the difference between treating people as objects rather than as people,” she said.
Employees feel well-used when they enjoy what they do, are equipped to do it well, and have a sense of accomplishment. Employee engagement or the degree to which they will “say, stay, and strive” on behalf of the company increases when they are well used. Some people feel they can use techniques when dealing with employees or customers, but Wagner says, “People can smell a technique a mile away. Employees feel used and will disengage. Customers feel like ‘targets’ and won’t trust, therefore won’t buy.”
Regarding turnover, Wagner says, “Acceptable turnover rates vary by industry. Unwanted turnover is a symptom of a larger issue; addressing it requires a systems approach. If you just focus on turnover, you’ll miss the root cause and just waste your budget on consulting fees.”
Instead, Wagner suggests looking at the whole system, the organizational climate, and inputs to employee engagement.
When people are less stressed and overwhelmed by work, they are happier. Even something simple like furniture in the break room could lead to a happier work environment.
Lesli Dullum, LMP,RC, owner of Optimal Wellness Consulting, LLC, is in the final stages of creating "Wellness in the Workplace,” a program to help business owners and corporations create a healthier work environment. Dullum is a licensed massage practitioner, registered counselor, freelance writer, speaker, and wellness consultant with over 25 years combined experience in various business and wellness endeavors. She has the perspective of entry-level corporate employee, corporate management and business owner/operator.
Dullum's custom tailored programs focus on needs assessment and strategic implementation of new policies, procedures and systems, as well as a myriad of training seminars on topics such as communications, boundary setting, lifestyle habits, and stress reduction strategies that are all a part of everyday life for employees. "Most companies neglect these very important aspects and offer little or no training in the 'people department,’” she said. "Even a strategically planned break room that allows for stress reduction can be an added bonus for employees.”
When making important decisions at work, Dullum encourages companies to use a team approach, which allows for individual ideas and talents that serve to keep employees invested in the company. Then the decision maker can take that input and make a purposeful decision.
"Every decision should be purposeful, and the desired outcome needs to be established,” she said. “This is key if a workplace is going to create a climate that allows employees to thrive.”
Dullum encourages having a purpose with everything. Wagner added, “It can be very valuable to make tangible changes in the work environment. Just remember that intent trumps tactics: If it is not in the context of effective leadership and employee engagement, it will backfire.”
|
