Oh HEC, we have a Human Energy Crisis

Health and wellbeing experts agree: the next global health crisis is here and it is a mental health pandemic. Numerous studies looking at the link between mental health and the workplace have expressed concerns with the growing levels of stress, anxiety, frustration and even sadness in employees, all of which have been on an upward trajectory for the past half-decade.

So, what’s causing this and what can leaders do to help?

Kathleen Hogan, Chief People Officer at Microsoft says that their data shows an increase of more than 13% in the time people are spending working – with even after-hours and weekend work increasing drastically since the pandemic.

?

“While this may, at first, sound like a positive development for employers,” says Daniella Freinkel , Head of People at Vitality Global, “It simply isn’t. People are more overworked than ever, and with that comes feelings of being overwhelmed, a distinct lack of control, and the ever-elusive work/life balance goal seems entirely out of reach”.

?

This means burnout, where employees experience feelings like fatigue, feeling detached emotionally and being unable to meet constant demands. Even the World Health Organization has recognised how widespread this type of excessive and prolonged stress is, categorising it as an “occupational phenomenon” in 2019.

?

The heart of any organisation? Its people.

At a Vitality panel held last month to celebrate mental health awareness, a group of global wellbeing leaders shared the same view: leaders in an organisation have a duty of care to make sure that their employees’ wellbeing is prioritised.

?

“It ends up being good for everyone in our shared-value cycle when our employees are well and happy,” says Freinkel. “Employees who feel supported – with access to the right tools and mental health assistance – end up being far more productive in the workplace which has a positive knock-on effect for everyone. Investing in these types of wellbeing initiatives is critical, and something we take very seriously at Vitality Global”.

?

As Microsoft’s Hogan points out, it’s “more than virtual happy hours or free yoga classes”. Instead, leaders need to take a long, hard look at their company culture to see if this is helping their people – or hindering them.

?

Sustainable, renewable (human) energy

“It’s an energy crisis, just this time; a human one,” says Freinkel. “And in the same way we’d approach other crises, we need to look to the environment to see what needs to change, how we can renew our employees’ energy levels and make these levels more sustainable”.

?

Barry Swartzberg , CEO of Vitality Global, believes it comes down to the example that leaders set. “As a leadership team, we want to role model the right behaviour when it comes to burnout,” he says. “We’re trying to de-stigmatise these types of mental health challenges by saying, ‘yes, this is something we’ve also experienced and here are some strategies to overcome it’”.

?

Swartzberg adds that his leadership team are experimenting with various wellbeing interventions, for example having ‘power hours’ from 12pm to 1pm every day where employees have auto-blocked diaries, hybrid working arrangements, and encouraging staff to take leave regularly. “It’s no longer a badge of honour to be the busiest person in the office,” he adds.

?

Recounting a story about Tampa Bay Buccaneers Coach Bruce Arians who told his coaching staff that he would fire them if they missed one of their children’s events, Swartzberg says while ‘firing’ isn’t part of his leadership team’s vernacular, strongly encouraging – and demonstrating – a work/life balance is a priority.

?

“I do agree with Coach Arians’ view that those years don’t come back. And just as importantly, these are the life moments that re-fuel us, re-energise us, and make us better employees too”.

?

Invest in your workforce

This ethos aligns to the core pillars of Vitality – a global behaviour change programme that spans 40 markets around the world impacting over 30 million lives. Our programme combines behavioural economics, clinical research and data analytics to encourage members to lead a healthier, happier lifestyle.

?

To find out more about Vitality’s science-backed employee wellbeing initiatives – and how you can implement these in your own workplace – visit www.vitalityglobal.com .