End-of-Year Recap: Celebrating 2024 and Looking Ahead to 2025

2024 Reflections and a Vision for 2025: Empowering Wellbeing and Authentic Leadership?

A message from Alan King, Workplace Options President and CEO

Dear Friends,?

I’d like?to share some thoughts about the year we’re in and the year that very soon will be upon us.?

At Workplace Options, our purpose is simple yet profound: to empower individuals and organizations to thrive. This year, we introduced forward-thinking solutions and insights to meet the evolving needs of the global workforce, ensuring care and support are always within reach: anytime, anywhere.?

We began the year with the launch of the WPO Consulting Group, which now supports over 100 companies across 20 countries in 15 languages. By discovering the root causes of workforce challenges, we can deliver bespoke strategies that help organizations invest in meaningful, lasting solutions.?

Psychological safety and employee engagement were central themes in 2024. Together with our clients, we created workplaces where trust, respect, and resilience flourish – environments where employees feel valued, empowered, and motivated to show up as their authentic selves.?

In April, we released our Global Psychological Safety Study, the first of its kind, providing leaders with actionable insights across nine countries. We will release the next study in February 2025.?

In the fall, we introduced the Psychosocial Risk Screener, a tool designed to help leaders proactively address critical workplace concerns, such as burnout, harassment, and isolation. This solution ensures organizations can identify and resolve issues before they escalate, creating safer, healthier environments and more productive workplaces.?

We also launched AIR25, an interactive manager training program, and the HR Toolkit, focused on uncovering unconscious bias and building resilience. These advanced solutions equip leaders with the tools to make inclusion and belonging a reality in their organizations.?

Our new Child and Family Wellbeing Program expanded services to every stage of life, from infertility support to end-of-life care. With a holistic, culturally sensitive approach, we now help employees and their families across borders, ensuring care is accessible whenever and wherever it’s needed.?

Most importantly, we delivered the results that matter:?

• 96% of members found accessing support smooth and straightforward.?
• 96% felt they received the help they needed when it mattered most.?
• 98% agreed their company made the right choice in partnering with WPO.?

In 2025, we will introduce services to help employees and their families during critical life events, such as returning to work after cancer or seeking sober living support. These services go beyond compliance – these solutions are about compassion. When leaders genuinely care for their people and clearly communicate how employees contribute to success, it fosters a culture where everyone gains. 2025 will also see the release of Work-life 2.0, our fundamental rethinking of the work-life service – an evolution from qualified referrals to more meaningful and impactful deliverables.?

To our valued clients and partners: your trust in WPO reflects your dedication to the wellbeing of your people and communities. Your leadership inspires us to innovate, exceed expectations, and shape a future where businesses thrive because people do.?

Thank you for your partnership. We look forward to continuing this journey together and making 2025 a year of authenticity and meaningful action.?

Wishing you, your teams, and every one of importance in your life a heathy, happy, prosperous and impactful year ahead. ?

Fostering Wellbeing for a Healthier Workforce: Global Psychological Safety Study ?

In today’s workplace, employee burnout and stress are becoming increasingly prevalent, fueled by challenges such as excessive workloads, value misalignment, and performance pressures.?

WPO’s latest insights highlight critical trends from Canada and India that underscore the urgent need for organizations to take action. In Canada, many employees feel overworked, undervalued, and dissatisfied with the level of care and wellbeing support provided by their employers. Across India, work-related stress and burnout are widespread, with employees struggling to manage work-life balance, job insecurity, and limited growth opportunities.?

These factors can erode trust, diminish motivation, and negatively impact overall wellbeing and performance.?

Organizations that focus on flexible work arrangements, wellbeing programs, and empathetic leadership can make a significant difference in fostering healthier, more engaged, and productive workplaces.?

Stay tuned for the next edition of the Psychological Safety Study coming in February 2025. In the meantime, explore the current findings on Canada, India, and seven other countries.?

A Workplace Options Rewind: Top Content of 2024??

Top Podcast Episode of 2024: Creating Psychological Safety through Inclusive Leadership??

A key component of a psychologically safe work environment is the assurance that employees feel included. They need to feel they can bring their authentic selves to work, confident they will be valued for who they are and what they contribute, without the fear of discrimination or exclusion based on any part of their identity.??

Inclusive leaders play an important role in establishing psychological safety by actively promoting open communication, demonstrating empathy, and valuing diverse perspectives. In this episode of the #WellbeingatWork podcast series, Bob Batchelor, PhD , Vice President of Global Communications and Marketing, and Oliver Brecht , VP and General Manager of Enterprise Solutions at Workplace Options, will discuss what makes a workplace psychologically safe and why it’s critical for organizations and leaders to prioritize it today.??

Tune in to this episode!

Top Article of 2024: When Grief Goes Unacknowledged and How it Affects the Workplace??

Unacknowledged grief, also referred to as hidden, silent, or disenfranchised grief, occurs when a person’s loss is not validated, recognized, or supported by society or those around them. Grief is an inevitable part of life, and unacknowledged grief is a reality for many employees. Employers can create a culture of care by recognizing the impact of all forms of grief and providing accommodations that meet employees’ needs. This includes:?

• Implementing flexible bereavement leave policies?

• Encouraging open communication about loss?

• Offering resources and training to build empathy and awareness??

By meeting employees with compassion during their hardest moments, organizations can cultivate a culture that values humanity and resilience. This approach not only benefits grieving employees but also strengthens the workplace as a whole, promoting engagement, loyalty, and long-term success.? ??

Learn more about unacknowledged grief and how it affects the workplace!

Top Video of 2024: Human-Powered Care?

Discover how Workplace Options delivers human-powered care, fostering meaningful connections that transform lives. See how our personalized support drives positive outcomes, enhancing employee wellbeing and creating lasting value for organizations worldwide.?

LATEST RESOURCES

Wellbeing at Work Podcast – When Placing Family in Long-Term Care?

Approximately 2.2 million people currently reside in long-term care facilities across the U.S. With nearly 70% of individuals needing assisted living at some point in their lives, the demand for supportive services continues to grow. Hear expert advice on placing loved ones in long-term care in our podcast with Amanda Sibrizzi, LCMHC, NCC, M.Ed., EAP Counselor & Christy McGuire, VP Business Solutions. ?

Tune in to this episode!

WPO in the News – Who's Taking Care of HR? ?

With 98% of HR leaders reporting feeling burnt out, HR professionals need our help. In a recent Canadian HR Reporter article, Workplace Options’ Chief Revenue Officer, Jean-Baptiste Gruet, provides solutions to address HR burnout, including the new HR Toolkit—a centralized hub of resources like guidebooks, white papers, and articles by SMEs on:? ?

- Talent Acquisition and Retention?

- Inclusive Communication for Global Organizations?

- Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging?

- Hybrid/Remote Team Development, Engagement, and Collaboration.

Read more here!

New Partnership – Inclusive Communication is Top of Mind for Improving Workplace Wellbeing?

Misunderstandings from language barriers can hold teams back, costing U.S. businesses over $12,000 per employee annually. That’s why Workplace Options has partnered with Accents International LLC to empower organizations with tools for inclusive communication and accent reduction.? ?

“We are focused on helping our clients advance authentic and impactful employee engagement and inclusive communication,” says Alan King, Workplace Options President & CEO. “Inclusive communication is not just a concept – it is a cornerstone of engagement, collaboration, and business success.”? ?

Explore insights about this partnership and how it’s transforming workplaces worldwide! ?

Vice President of Business Development at Workplace Options, Christy McGuire, and President and Co-founder of Accents International, Judy Ravin, also?sat down to discuss this partnership’s transformative impact on workplace communication. Read more here!

Workplace Options' Consulting?Approach

For over 40 years, Workplace Options has led the way in employee wellbeing, and our consulting group is a natural extension of that legacy. From crafting comprehensive strategies to addressing specific challenges, we deliver tailored solutions to meet each client’s unique needs. We understand that every organization faces distinct challenges, and we view these as opportunities to drive success.?

Discover more about our consulting group’s innovative solutions, including the WPO Psychosocial Risk Screener.

Thanks for reading.

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