The New Year is always a time for reflection, and more often than not, this can lead to us reevaluating what things have been bringing us purpose in our life and where in our lives this purpose can be found. This is where The Purpose Effect: Building Meaning in Yourself, Your Role and Your Organization by Dan Pontefract comes into play.

Dan is a leadership and culture change strategist, a keynote speaker with over two decades of experience at companies such as SAP, TELUS, and Business Objects, and an author to a number of bestselling books.

In his book The Purpose Effect, Dan combines his years of experience with swathes of research on employee engagement to create a work about the three crucial areas of purpose that result in the Purpose Effect: individual, workplace role, and organizational. 

Purpose-driven organizations focus on more than just profits. They align personal, organizational, and role-based purposes, benefiting both employees and society. When these elements align, employees feel fulfilled and engaged, contributing towards better work. If there is a mismatch between an employee’s personal purpose and the organization’s goals, it can ultimately lead to dissatisfaction.

This is where the Purpose Effect comes in, and it arises from three main factors:

1. Personal Sense of Purpose: Employees need to have a motivating purpose. This involves growth, defining life goals, and maintaining ethical behavior. Employees should be continually asking themselves how they are evolving and how they want to be perceived at work.
2. Organizational Purpose: This defines why the company exists. It reflects the company’s principles, ethics, culture, and commitment to fair practices. Fair compensation, performance management, and recognition are essential for aligning employees with a company’s purpose.
3. Role-Based Purpose: Each employee’s role must align with their personal and organizational purpose. When employees see their work as a ‘calling’, they are more likely to engage with said work.

Dan’s book teaches employers how they can find what he dubs the ‘sweet spot’ – this is the intersection of personal, organizational, and role purposes. By achieving this alignment, leaders will be able to foster a community spirit within the organization that will lead to a more productive, motivated workforce, as a company without a clear purpose may struggle to attract and retain top talent.

If you would like to discuss how we can help implement the best strategies to achieve the Purpose Effect, please get in touch with us today!

In the meantime, be sure to grab a copy of The Purpose Effect – you can head over here for the US and here for the UK.

Last year, we asked the OrgShakers team what practices and ideologies they thought employers should be leaving behind as they ventured into the New Year.

Now, as another year comes to a close, we wanted to see what they believe should be left behind in 2024 in order to help propel sustainability and growth in the year to come:

• Our Founder David Fairhurst believes that the end of the year is a great time for HR leaders to be considering their key areas of focus for 2025, and this includes looking at what practices should be left behind in order to foster more innovative, inclusive, and employee-centric workplaces. This could be done by adopting outcome-centered models of managing performance, or placing a greater focus on strategic workforce planning to ensure the workforce is a future fit, or even looking into comprehensive wellbeing strategies to avoid employee burnout, to name a few. But what’s important to remember when looking at new practices is to be realistic, and this can be done by thinking of HR strategic objectives on three levels:
  • What are the basics that need to be maintained?
  • What are the areas that must continuously improve?
  • What are the big moves we need to focus on which will offer a transformative impact?
• Anya Clitheroe would like to stop hearing managers complaining about the Gen Z workforce! This year she has heard so many managers making the blanket statement that Gen Z have been spoilt and they don’t want to work hard or that they don’t show any initiative. Instead, Anya would like them to find a way to engage the younger workforce in a way that interests them. Have they clearly communicated ways of working expectations, and have they found out what does motivate them? At the very least, they need to see that not every Gen Z can be identical in their workstyle preferences!
• Speaking of leaders, Marty Belle believes that employers should leave behind rigidity and paternalistic leadership operating styles. These areas of inflexibility include enforcing Return to Work practices in cases where remote workers are more productive, or only offering fixed work schedules without taking into consideration some workers may not be morning people and would choose to work mid-day rather than early morning. Additionally, more flexible scheduling would accommodate childcare needs and parental involvement in their children’s extracurricular activities.
• Building on this, Lauren Kincaid believes that employers should be leaving behind a one-size-fits all approach when it comes to employment policies and employee benefits. The more personalized the employment experience, the more seen, heard and valued an employee feels, resulting in better employee engagement, loyalty and performance.
• Echoing Marty’s sentiment of rigidity, Sayid Hussein also believes employers should leave behind in 2024 a “9-to-5, in-office only” mentality. With advancements in technology and changing workforce dynamics, it’s time to embrace flexible working arrangements that prioritize outcomes over hours. Trusting employees to manage their time fosters creativity, improves retention, and acknowledges the diverse realities of modern life.
• Speaking of mindsets, Karen Cerrato believes that employers should be leaving behind short-term thinking. Whether at a corporate level or a management level, if we want longevity out of our employees, Kanen believes that need to start thinking strategically and long term. The days of people staying in a job for 10 yrs + “just because”, are long gone; we need to give them a reason to want to stay:  
  • Reactive decision-making: Shift toward proactive strategies that prioritize long-term growth and stability.
  • Underinvestment in talent: Invest in professional development and career growth opportunities for employees.
  • Top-down communication only: Foster two-way communication to engage employees and encourage innovation.
• Amanda Holland believes that employers need to be conducting their final Covid pandemic clean up: it’s time to finish assessing any processes or procedures developed specifically during the pandemic. Operationalize any efficiencies your company will be keeping by ensuring the language is up-to-date and free from pandemic references. Eliminate those policies, processes, and procedures that are no longer needed or applicable.
• Ken Merritt believes that employers should be leaving behind ‘reluctance’. Several companies have been slow to hire and fast to retire because there has been a ‘cloud of reluctance’ hanging over the economy since 2022 – it’s time for employers to be leaving that behind for good in 2024.
• Therese Procter knows that 2024 has been a very challenging year, with the key topics of remote working, political uncertainty, and the skills gap taking many of the highlight spots. But an area that she believes is often pushed down the agenda (whether this be due to the amount of effort and/or cost it requires) is mental and financial wellbeing. That’s why she believes that employers should be leaving behind poor and ineffective mental health support strategies and programs that are outdated and not fit for purpose, and instead take on a fresh approach to wellbeing this new year that better supports mental and financial aspects of life.

If you would like to get in touch with us about any of the points raised by our team, or if you have a different concerns that you were hoping to leave in 2024 and need assistance in shedding it, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today!

Equally, if you want some on-demand advice and strategies, why not book in a 1-hour private consultation with one of our seasoned HR professionals? Take a look at our OrgShakers CL!CK service for more details!

From all of us at OrgShakers, we wish you a happy and prosperous New Year!

For a whole host of reasons, this time of year can be challenging for some. Because while most of us will be making merry, others will be experiencing a very different set of emotions.

One prominent issue is loneliness. The festive season, especially Christmas, emphasizes inclusiveness and togetherness, can be a stark reminder for some of their own lack of company.

For those with fractured family relationships or who have lost loved ones, the holidays symbolize family, making it hard not to feel isolated. Research conducted by Mind confirms this, with over one-third of people (36%) being too embarrassed to admit they are lonely at Christmas time.

Others may struggle with religious trauma. This time of year can be challenging for those who have been brought up in strict religious households but have been on a journey of faith deconstruction into their adulthood. Being forced to take part in religious-based traditions in order to see their family can leave them feeling emotionally drained and can lead to them feeling the need to pull away during this time.

Overall, more than two in five people feel stressed during the holidays and, according to a YouGov survey, just over a quarter say that the Christmas season actually makes their mental health worse. These stresses inevitably affect working life.

So, how can employers offer extra support during the holiday season?

The most important thing is for leaders to actively listen to their people.

When in a managerial role, it can be very easy to fall into the habit of asking closed questions to staff, such as “Do you have any plans for Christmas?”. Nine times out of ten the answer will be ‘yes’ even if that is not the truth, so managers need to take it a step further. Follow up with, “Oh, what are you up to?” – this immediately signals that you are genuinely interested and want to listen, and therefore you are now more likely to receive an honest answer.

Supporting your employees’ wellbeing is challenging – but essential. Even without all the answers, showing you care by asking the right questions can make a significant difference. Taking accountability for your team and being aware of their struggles can create a supportive environment.

A simple gesture, such as sending out a group text or email on Christmas Day could make someone feel that little bit less lonely amongst the festivities – and could be the biggest gift you give to anyone this year.

If you would like to discuss these topics further, please get in touch with us.

Chinese company Pang Dong Lai made history this year by introducing a new form of paid time off: ‘Unhappiness Leave’.

The 7,000 employees at this chain of shopping malls and grocery stores can now request an additional 10-days of paid time off if they are ‘not feeling happy’ … leave which cannot be overruled by line managers!

This has been introduced to highlight their focus on physical and mental wellbeing, as founder and chairman of the company, Yu Donglai, believes that employees should be entitled to a healthy and relaxed life when working for his company.

So, should companies around the world be considering introducing their own form of Unhappiness Leave?

We know that happier employees are around 13% more productive, and so understanding what you, as an employer, can be doing to foster happiness in your workplace is imperative when it comes to driving the productivity of your workforce.

However, a recent study found that 65% of workers do not use their full annual leave allowance. But much like Unhappiness Leave implies, a key element of fostering happiness is recognizing the importance of time away from the workplace.

Time off from work should not be viewed as an optional thing; employers should be actively encouraging their staff to make use of their annual leave, as it results in a myriad of physical and mental benefits that actually lead to better work and higher engagement overall:

• Benefits for the Mind – when a person is overwhelmed with work, the cognitive impact this can have can result in mental fatigue, difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness, and impaired problem-solving abilities. Therefore, taking time away from work provides a greater opportunity for rest, relaxation, and better sleep, which can help to unclutter the mind and create more mental space, reducing the likelihood of overwhelm.
• Benefits for the Body – work pressures can see a spike in the stress hormone cortisol, which is a similar feeling that one would feel when in danger. Because the body is unable to distinguish the difference, an increase in the stress hormone actually results in the suppression of the immune system to allow the body to channel its energy to fight or flee from the non-existent danger that it thinks is present. Making time to relax on vacation can help to reduce these levels of stress hormones, allowing the immune system to recover, overall reducing the chances of getting sick.
• Benefits for the Soul – it can seem a bit silly, but taking time to reconnect with oneself can be another great benefit of taking time away from work. We frequently refer to this mental ‘happy place’, and taking time off work can create the space for employees to internally reflect about what it is that truly does bring them joy and nourish their soul.

There are many more ingredients to the recipe for a happy employee, but taking that time for yourself to rest, relax, and rejuvenate is up there as one of the most important. Employers should therefore consider following in the footsteps of Yu Donglai when it comes to his commitment to fostering happiness at work … and maybe it’s worth considering if Unhappiness Leave is something that would benefit your workforce, too.

Grief is often linked directly to death. Our minds will picture someone who has lost a loved one, thus kickstarting the grief cycle – also known as the five stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance).

But grief is more insidious than many employers and employees realize. Humans can feel grief for a variety of different reasons; we may grieve after a breakup, the time we wasted,  even knowledge or a skill set that has become outdated.

Just as loss comes in many forms, so does grief, and there are many instances in the workplace that can trigger the grief cycle. For example:

• Loss of a Team Member – Employees today are much more mobile – especially with the mass adoption of remote working. Workers may find themselves grieving the loss of a valued team member who has moved on in their career. Or they may grieve the loss of comradery they experienced when they worked side by side rather than virtually.
• Loss of a Leader – When a company leader moves on or retires, the stages of grief can flare to life. Leaders have a significant impact on a company and on team members. When leaders leave, it can take time to adapt to the workplace without them and employees may experience intense grief. To further complicate the experience, employees may be grieving while simultaneously having to adapt to a new leader.
• Loss of Expertise – Individuals can experience acute grief when the work itself minimizes their hard-earned experience or expertise.  New technology can lead to new skills and knowledge, resulting in a previous expert becoming a novice overnight. Constantly changing mandates, policies, or procedures can also prompt the grief cycle when workers lose their standing as the resident expert or go-to resource in a given field, process, or system.
• Loss of a Role – In-house promotions or job changes can result in compounded grieving. The new role has new responsibilities and requirements, which can emphasize a loss of proficiency. Concurrently, the newly promoted is no longer the go-to person for their previous role. This can manifest grief in those employees who relied on them as a resource. Sometimes, employees will deny the loss by expecting the individual to perform portions of their old job as well as the new role.

Sound familiar? These are just a few examples of the low- to mid-level grief employees can experience in the workplace. And while employees are going through this loss, employers may see an effect on productivity, engagement, and wellbeing. These reactions to loss are rarely recognized as grief behaviors and therefore take longer to understand and process effectively.

Employers who intentionally equip their teams with the mindfulness tools they need to recognize, acknowledge, and process their low-level grief can help employees advance to the ‘acceptance’ stage more efficiently, increasing overall employee wellbeing and engagement. Grief management activities can range from offering workshops around change management and grief in all its forms to actively promoting self-care and emotional intelligence. It’s also important for employers to highlight where employees can voice their concerns, reaffirming the wellbeing support available to the workforce.

It can feel silly to use such a heavy word like grief when talking about grappling with seemingly minor loss and change, but feeling loss is a very normal and common feeling that can have long-term, significant negative impact. Knowing how to recognize and manage grief can be a game changer in the pressure-filled retention and engagement arena. It can be the difference between working through a rough patch and being disrupted by a major roadblock.

If you would like to discuss how we can help build grief management skills and mitigate the effects of loss in the workplace due to change, please get in touch with me at amanda@orgshakers.com

We spend about a third of our lives at work, and so it’s therefore not shocking to discover that 75% of workers say they have formed lifelong friendships with their co-workers.

As humans, we naturally seek out connection. Socialising brings with it a wealth of benefits for our health and wellbeing, including better mental health and the promotion of a sense of safety, belonging, and security. But it doesn’t stop there – a study from Gallup also found that having close friendships at work results in improved productivity, retention, and employee satisfaction.

So it’s clear to see that there is a myriad of benefits for employers and employees alike when it comes to the fostering of social connections in the workplace…and yet, when you start to dig a little deeper, you begin to see that the types of employees who are reaping these benefits the most tend to be women.

There has always been this assumption that women will have a close-knit group of pals who they see and talk to on a regular basis. Whereas in contrast, male friendships tend to be less committal, and are usually bound by a shared activity or something transactional (like a sport). Interestingly, there is some psychology behind this stereotype – the intimate, face-to-face relationships between women have a lot to do with the fact that when women are stressed, they release the hormone oxytocin, which is believed to be the reason why women tend to be more maternal and nurturing. As a result of this, female friendships are based on emotional intimacy and connection, unlike male friendships.

However, as we have seen from the above research, the fostering and maintaining of close friendships can do wonders for your mental health. And this is likely why men tend to suffer with worse mental health, and why suicide is the leading cause of death for men under 50. A lot of men lack that social security blanket that close friends can offer, and don’t have a space where they can share the more intimate and emotional details of their life. And this stems largely from outdated ideas around masculinity and manhood, and that to share or express your feelings is ‘girly’.

Yet in actuality, it’s healthy! It’s healthy sociologically, psychologically, and even scientifically. One study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology found that women with early-stage breast cancer were four times more likely to die from it if they didn’t have very many female friends. Conversely, women with early-stage breast cancer with a large group of female friends had a higher survival rate.

Social connection plays a vital role in our lives, and can even be the thing that ends up saving it. That’s why, for employers, it’s so important for them to be encouraging this culture of connection at work – especially amongst their male employees.

A great way of doing this is by starting up a Men’s Network or Group for male employees. This can be scheduled on a regular basis, and will be specifically designed to encourage men to talk about topics that are considered more ‘taboo’ – such as their mental and physical health. Creating that space to do this highlights that there is space for it – and I guarantee you will be surprised to see just how many male employees benefit from having such a space.  

If you would like to discuss how we can help create strategies to foster connection in your workplace, please get in touch with me at therese@orgshakers.com

More than one in ten employees have been victims of bullying in their workplace. As employers, this is an alarming statistic to hear, and this is why many workplaces have strict anti-bullying and anti-harassment policies in place to ensure that the culture of the workplace remains inclusive and welcoming to all.

However, it can get a bit trickier to manage bullying behaviors when they begin to slip into that elusive ‘grey area’. This is behavior that doesn’t necessarily fall into the black and white definitions of bullying (repeated unreasonable behaviour by an individual towards a worker (or group of workers) which creates a risk to health and safety) or harassment (behaviour that is or may be perceived to be offensive, abusive, belittling or threatening towards an individual or group or people based on a discriminatory characteristic). And yet, these behaviors still have the potential to have a negative impact on an employee and the wider work culture.

So, what are some of the grey areas of bullying that employers should be aware of?

• Shouting – more than half (57%) of employees don’t consider shouting at work to be bullying, but is this always the case? Shouting at work has something that has become almost normalized by entertainment media creating the stereotypical angry boss character. But in reality, could shouting be considered bullying? It all comes down to context – are you shouting at one person in particular? Are you shouting aggressively or passionately? And is there ever really a need to shout at work in the first place? These things all need to be considered by employers in the face of an employee feeling bullied for this very reason.
• Nicknames – nicknames are, more often than not, a harmless way of expressing camaraderie in the workplace, but employers must ensure that these names don’t use language that could be interpreted as demeaning in any way, as this can lead to individuals feeling victimized. 
• Banter – the current workforce has the largest ever mix of generations working together, which means that lot of workplace banter risks being ‘lost in translation’ due to the fact that the boundaries of acceptability and what is tolerated have shifted so much across the decades. Consequently, what one person may intend as a joke, another may perceive quite differently. Having managers who have been trained to understand what is acceptable means that they can diffuse these situations and act accordingly if someone feels that banter is going too far. 
• Physical Contact – physical contact can be a tricky one, but more often than not employers should encourage everyone to keep their hands to themselves (but this doesn’t mean that a friendly high five or introductory handshake can’t be shared). But for the most part, it’s best to avoid anything physical for fear this can be misinterpreted as a suggestive gesture.

With the rise of cancel culture and movements like Me Too, employers are now more obligated more than ever to ensure they are fostering a working environment where everyone feels safe and included. So, when it comes to managing these grey areas, employers simply have to take it as it comes. Context will play a key role in all of the above scenarios, and any more that may arise. It’s important to listen to the employees involve and investigate accordingly.

If you would like to discuss how we can help strengthen your anti-bullying policies, please get in touch with us today.

There has always been this outdated idea that in order to climb the ranks and come out on top you have to be ruthless, cutthroat, and manipulative. But in reality, there isn’t much evidence that supports this – one longitudinal study conducted over 14 years found that those who were selfish, aggressive, and manipulative were actually less likely to move up the ranks. It was those who were generous, kind, and agreeable who were more likely to be promoted to a position of power.

So how might they continue to be their authentic, kind self when in a position of authority? We can already see that kindness is by no means a symbol of weakness, but with a leadership role comes a certain expectation of having to make the hard decisions, delegate tasks, and maintain a sense of authority that some may feel gets diluted by a kind demeanour. The secret is not blurring the lines between kindness and friendship.

Kwame Christian – known for his work around compassionate curiosity – discusses how the best advice he was ever given was that to be successful, you need to be respected rather than liked. And this notion is particularly poignant when it comes to balancing kindness and authority in a way that leads to the respect of your peers rather than their affection.

Leaders have to actively be reinforcing professional boundaries with their team; you don’t have to be friends with the people who work for you to know them and what’s important to them, both in and outside the workplace. It’s about having and fostering that benevolent concern for your team in a respectful way.

As with many aspects of communication, it’s important to check your intention. Leaders should always be taking a step back when making a decision and think about why they are deciding this. This can be incredibly helpful when having to deliver difficult decisions or an undesired outcome to an employee, as it offers them an insight into why you have come to this conclusion and why it is a necessary one for the wider health of the company.

What I have personally found to be particularly effective in these instances is having an insight into the workstyle preferences of the people I am working with. Years ago, I had a boss who would frequently change her mind on the direction she wanted something to go in, which would require consistent reworking from me to the point that I once ended up on version 37 of the draft! Whilst this was frustrating, I now realize that if my boss and I had undergone a process like SurePeople’s psychometric assessment, I would have seen from her Prism profile what kind of a leader she was and how her decision-making process worked. Having that insight would have helped me better understand how to work with her needs, just as her having access to my own profile would give her an insight into how I worked best. Leaders who have access to tools such as Prism will find it much more manageable to have those more difficult conversations with their team members.

Overall, it can be a tricky thing to be a leader who is nice and kind but whose authority is still respected. That’s why I believe it’s best to steer away from the notion of being the leader who wants to be pals with everyone and instead focus more on being the leader who offers everyone respect and expects this back in return.

If you would like to discuss the executive coaching services that we offer, or if you would like to get a deeper understanding into the Prism psychometric profiling technology, please get in touch with me at anya@orgshakers.com

Employers spend a lot of time creating and implementing strategies to help manage and mitigate stress in the workplace. After all, excessive stress can lead to health issues, lower productivity, and increase the risk of burnout. But not all stress is ‘bad stress’.

Psychologists actually separate stress into two distinct categories: eustress and distress. While distress is the harmful type that leads to all of the outcomes listed above, eustress is known as ‘positive stress’ – this is the stress that enhances motivation, focus, and even wellbeing. Eustress acts as a powerful tool for driving personal growth and resilience, helping employees to thrive in challenging situations (which, let’s face it, are going to sometimes be unavoidable at work).

The point is, stress isn’t always a bad thing, despite its negative connotations. When we feel stressed about something, it’s often a signal that it truly matters to us—that we care deeply about the outcome. This awareness can sometimes provide the extra push and motivation we need to take action and achieve our goals.  

Creating a workplace environment where stress serves as a motivator rather than a burden requires a delicate balance. The goal should be to empower employees to handle manageable challenges without crossing into the territory of excessive pressure. There are a few ways employers can do this:

• Culture of Purpose – when employees feel a sense of purpose in their work, moderate stress becomes easier to manage and even desirable. This sense of purpose can transform potentially stressful situations into positive experiences that foster engagement and long-term job satisfaction. Employers therefore have to make an active effort to help employees understand how their work contributes to the bigger picture of the organization’s goals.
• Sense of Control – when people have control over how they manage stressors, stress becomes less overwhelming. This is linked to the psychological concept of perceived control, which is the perception that one has the ability, resources, or opportunities to achieve positive outcomes or avoid negative effects through one’s own actions. Studies have shown associations with perceived control and the management of stress, so those employers who are giving their employees a say in their workload, deadlines, or how they tackle projects are more likely to foster positive stress that fuels performance.
• Recognition and Reward – if employees feel that their hard work is acknowledged, the stress they endure can become meaningful – even enjoyable – as it’s directly linked to recognition and reward. This positive reinforcement reassures employees that their efforts are appreciated, helping them associate stress with growth and achievement rather than struggle. It’s therefore imperative for employers to have recognition programs in place that highlight not only successes but also the hard work and effort that lead to their success.
• Supportive Environment – a supportive environment is crucial when turning stress into a positive motivator. This is why it’s important for staff to know that they can rely on their teams for support and guidance, as this results in stress becoming more of a shared experience rather than an individual burden to bear. Encouraging team building activities and creating opportunities for collaboration can aid in fostering this supportive environment where stress can remain moderate and positive.

Everything is okay in moderation – even stress. Eustress can be a powerful motivator that helps employees reach new heights of performance, but the challenge is creating a work environment where this stress is stimulating rather than overwhelming. If you would like to discuss how we can help you harness the power of positive stress, please get in touch with me at karen.cerrato@orgshakers.com, contact us through our website, or book in a 1-hour consultation with one of our seasoned HR professionals for instant advice through our OrgShakers CL!CK consultation service.

With the clocks having gone back in the US this past weekend – and the clocks having already rolled back two weekends ago in the UK – we are officially entering into SAD season.

For those that might not know, SAD stands for Seasonal Affective Disorder, which is a type of depression that comes and goes seasonally. Symptoms of this disorder include low energy, difficulty concentrating, irritability, changes in sleep and appetite, and a general feeling of sadness or despair – all things that can have noticeable ripple effects in the workplace.

Around 3% of people in the UK have SAD, and about 5% of people in the US – with symptoms being thought to last about 40% of the year. It’s highly likely that employers will find they have team members who suffer with SAD – or, to a lesser extent, with the ‘winter blues’ that the darker and colder days can bring. But there are a few things they can do to help ward off the effects that SAD can have on mental health, engagement, and productivity:

• Raise Awareness – awareness is the first step in supporting employees. Recognize that SAD is a genuine, diagnosable condition and communicate empathy and understanding. When employees feel that their struggles are recognized, they are more likely to seek support and feel empowered to manage their condition.
• Flexible Working – flexibility can be invaluable for employees dealing with SAD. The symptoms of SAD, such as fatigue and difficulty concentrating, can make a traditional 9-5 schedule challenging to operate to. Providing flexibility allows employees to manage their workload during times when they feel most energized, which can vary significantly with this disorder.
• Improve Office Lighting – since a lack of natural sunlight can trigger SAD symptoms, lighting adjustments in the office can be a great practical solution. Employers can make simple changes to the office environment to help ease symptoms for those affected, such as purchasing some sunlight lamps which more closely mimic natural light.
• Physical and Mental Health Support – lifestyle habits can influence the severity of SAD symptoms, so employers should consider promoting wellness initiatives that encourage a healthy lifestyle. These could include office fitness programs, subsidised gym memberships, or mindfulness sessions. As well as this, it’s also important to remind employees of the mental health support that is available to them to, such as their Employee Assistance Program.
• Check In Regularly – an essential part of supporting employees with SAD is regular communication. While it’s important not to intrude, checking in with employees can give them an opportunity to share their experiences and needs. At the same time, it also gives employers the opportunity to get feedback on the support that they are offering to measure how effective it is.

The important thing to remember is that supporting employees with Seasonal Affective Disorder is about more than just providing resources; it’s about creating an environment where people feel safe, understood, and empowered. This will help to alleviate the symptoms of this disorder during these darker months and have positive effects on both the employee and the business.

If you would like to discuss how we can help create and implement support strategies this SAD season, please get in touch with us today!

This month, we have grabbed ourselves a copy of Naz Beheshti’s Pause. Breathe. Choose. Become the CEO of Your Well-Being.

When you prioritize your career over your well-being, you ultimately end up damaging both. That’s why Naz has published a debut designed to help employees restructure their lives to ensure that they are focusing on their physical and mental well-being in order to be their best selves at work.

Naz, who is an executive wellness coach and has worked for more than 20 years at various Fortune 500 companies, shares insights from her experience and years of expertise to create a guide to well-being that anyone and everyone needs to read.

People should not be constantly longing for the weekend, but rather they need to rethink how they approach work and life – to do this, Naz has invented the MAP Method.

The MAP Method has three key components: mastery of mindfulness, the Seven A’s of resilience and stress-management, and promotion to the role of “CEO of your well-being.”

Mastery of Mindfulness – mindfulness is not passive but proactive. It helps individuals face challenges and embrace change, which is crucial in both personal life and career. Simple practices like meditating daily or adopting the ‘Pause. Breathe. Choose.’ method can help develop mindfulness, which can then be applied to everyday tasks, resulting in improved decision-making and relationships.

Seven A’s of Resilience and Stress-Management – Naz introduces the Seven A’s – “adopt, allocate, avoid, alter, adapt, accept, and attend” – to manage stress and improve adaptability. These strategies are designed to promote healthier choices and balance between work and personal life.

Promotion to CEO of Your Well-Being – leaders play a crucial role in setting good examples for their teams. Modelling behaviors like taking breaks, using wellness programs, and allowing employees flexible schedules contributes to a more balanced and productive workplace where a focus on well-being is not just normalized, it’s encouraged.

Well-being is at the forefront of many employees’ minds, but it can be difficult to know how to prioritize it whilst also chasing career progression opportunities.

Naz’s book aims to help employees understand how to focus on personal growth, turn pain into learning experiences, and connect with others in order to lead meaningful lives. After all, balancing career goals with well-being creates a more fulfilling life and work environment, ultimately benefiting both the individual and the business.

If you would like to discuss how we can help implement sustainable and effective well-being strategies in your company, please get in touch with us today. Or, you can book in a 1-hour consultation with one of our seasoned HR professionals for instant advice through our OrgShakers CL!CK consultation service.

In the meantime, if you want to grab your own copy of Pause. Breathe. Choose. then head over here for the US and here for the UK.

Menopause impacts half of the population at a certain point in their lives – in fact, by 2025, over 1 billion people globally will be in menopause.

Unlike many other conditions, menopause is something that is guaranteed to affect a vast majority of people. And considering that most women will undergo menopause during their working years, it is so important for employers to be building an inclusive and supportive workplace where those going through menopause can continue to thrive.

Menopause can have a huge impact on someone’s life – so much so that guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission says that symptoms of menopause can be considered a disability if they have a long-term and substantial impact on a woman’s ability to carry out-day-day activities. And the data proves this – 23% of employees going through menopause considered resigning due to its impact, and 14% said they were planning to hand in their notice, according to research from the end of last year from SimplyHealth.

And it’s not just having effects on turnover, but productivity too. Recent studies reveal that the economic impact of menopause in the US is over $26 billion, with $1.8 billion specifically attributed to the loss of productivity due to debilitating symptoms. Therefore, those employers who are designing and implementing tailored support strategies for menopausal staff will be best equipped to mitigate the negative ripple effects it can have on their business, all the while showcasing a genuine care for the health and wellbeing of their workforce.

So, what are the key components needed to create a menopause-inclusive workforce?

• Flexibility – menopause can commonly cause symptoms such as hot flushes and physical discomfort, and when this happens during work it can really affect someone’s ability to engage and be productive. Therefore, offering those staff members some flexibility – such as relaxed dress codes or the use of handheld fans – can be so helpful for regulating these symptoms and making them feel comfortable whilst at work.
• Awareness – menopause has been a taboo subject for a long time, and only now are we starting to be educated around it. It’s therefore important for employers to be committed to furthering this education, offering staff access to learning resources and/or hosting training workshops to create a working environment that encourages this topic to be openly discussed so that it can be better understood.
• Support Networks – having Employee Resource Groups where employees can seek advice around menopause, share experiences, and learn through their peers can be such a great way of highlighting a specified safe space to talk freely and openly without fear of being judged or feeling embarrassed. This can also really help those employees feel valued by their employer, as there is a dedicated resource available for them to seek support as and when needed.
• Preparation – discussions around menopause should be proactive just as much as they are reactive. For those younger female employees, it’s important for them to be aware of what to expect later in life when menopause starts, as this can help to demystify the process and reduce that sense of anxiety associated with something that is ambiguous and unknown.

By implementing these components into the fabric of your diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy, employers will be able to foster a workplace that challenges the long-standing taboos around menopause and instead invites open and honest dialogue which can help employees better understand the support available to them. If you would like to discuss how we can help build these support policies, please get in touch with me at therese@orgshakers.com