Internal CSR and employee well-being

The international understanding of CSR is generally posited on four pillars universally recognized as philanthropy, environment conservation, diversity and labour practices, and volunteerism. Over the decades, though, the lines between philanthropy and volunteerism have blurred to the extent that the actual impact of efforts made under these banners is negligible in most developing countries. Thriving economies may be able to afford a more generous yield of good-doing and charitable actions, but economies that are struggling to provide for their general populations don't yet know how to extend the limited incomes to those who have even lesser than their average. 

In this age where the differences between stable and unstable incomes are stark and unmissable, it is more important than ever for organizations to acknowledge and embrace the branch of Human Resources that concerns itself with employees' wellbeing, which is the third pillar of CSR – diversity and labour practices. Often enough, studies reveal the blind spots that organizations have and let fester within big and small departments simply because they, the CEOs and the higher-ups are busy making decisions that go higher up and higher still. 

While diversity and inclusion remain at the forefront of conversations around employee wellbeing and internal CSR in general, what gets lost in such discussions is the more minute stuff, such as addressing mental health issues and ensuring smooth communication amongst all levels of the employee chain. Employee attrition rates increase the lower we look at the employee hierarchy because, with smaller packages, the company's investment into the future and wellbeing of the employee also shrinks. Beyond middle management, the employee pool might be bigger, but the individuals in it are more dispensable. Young graduates joining to earn their first few years of experience, temps coming in and going out every summer, interns, people changing industries – such employees do not contribute directly to an organization's interests. They hence are not seen as long-term investments. 

Surprisingly, these groups of workers are also the most outspoken. With social media giving voice to everyone who has one, it is now standard practice to publicize problematic behaviours and policies that harm employees working in small and big positions. This tells us that individuals at any level and with any amount of importance to the company are still individuals with emotions, personalities, and expectations. It also reveals a blind spot in the general ideation of benefits that companies create for workers by excluding or not paying enough mind to the lower-level workers. 

Internal CSR expects and advises organizations to understand the broad spectrum of their workforce and create a fabric of care and attention that accommodates everyone associated with the company. Catering to differences has to be job one. If a headquarters building of a brand does not have braille on their elevator button panels, it automatically excludes the visually impaired and sends out a message that they are not differently-abled-friendly. By not having ramps all around the campus for their building and amenities such as the café or the bathrooms, a company turns away all the differently-abled persons who might be skilled or beneficial to them but can never access their offices. But these are just the top of the pyramid of exclusions and oversights. 

The past decade showed us the importance of giving everyone the chance to use a toilet, no matter which gender identity they embrace. This should also become the norm of organizations that call themselves modern or enlightened. Using a restroom securely and not being judged for who one chooses to be is the right thing to do and a good thing to do to ensure that employee's mental wellbeing. Racial and gender-based discrimination should also be a top priority for every single HR official. Microaggressions arising out of inherent racial/gender biases are not always overt but are very real for the people who live through/with them. Regular meetings with people of colour, women, trans people and anyone who is yet a minority in the large sense of the word should become the norm for every organization, no matter the size of their team(s).

After every hiring cycle, appraisal session or financial year, companies should encourage their HR teams to reflect on their patterns and highlight any biases or oversights committed by the leaders or managers, which might be seen as otherwise motivated (aside from skill-based). Questioning employees at every level of the company, without singling out any person without cause, can build a circle of trust where individuals might find comfort and safety to share and talk freely. Initiatives to allow free conversations around mental health, personal health, personal financial crisis, and even family life can make a world of difference for, say, a single father struggling to cope with a teenage daughter while having to work 10-hour shifts to pay her school fees, or an immigrant worker supporting a family of five on a single salary, or even a newly hired analyst who has not yet experienced the harsh reality of the consulting industry and is finding it hard to establish their footing in their field of work. 

Ultimately, the system that works for the workers reflects well onto the company, and the output, whatever that might be, improves quality and sustenance. Employees are humans first, with real needs beyond the paycheck and some topical benefits for retirement. Having the people with whom one spends most of their time caring for their overall wellbeing is like having a caregiver through each employment stage. This sort of internal CSR not only expands the goodwill of the workforce to permeate down to the smallest corners of the office but enables broader, healthier and more relevant conversations that concern the humane side of every organization. 

Visit us at Laddersup HR Solutions ( www.laddersuphr.com)