Work Life Balance is No Longer a Thing!

May is national mental health awareness month ! Nearly one in five Americans lives with a mental health condition, according to the?National Institute of Mental Health . This month provides us an opportunity to pause and reflect- are we ok? Are our families, friends, and coworkers ok?

It is an opportunity to fight stigma, provide support, and advocate for policies that support people with mental illness and their families. And since workplace burn out and mental health and wellness are related, this month I dive into a Top Trend for 2022 that I touched upon in my January newsletter - Work-life balance will no longer be a thing.

Why is this a top trend for 2022?

When we use the phrase “work life balance”, we put work at the same pedestal as life. In last 2 years, if we have learned anything it is that work is NOT equal to life. So this year, out with the phrase “Work life balance”. ?We are already hearing terms like “work life harmony” and “work life integration” replacing “work life balance” although even that usage is flawed because work is a part of life and NOT equal to life. Hillary Clinton’s quote comes to mind - Don’t confuse having a career with having a life.

One look at comments on the anonymous community apps for workplaces like Blind and you can tell that the employees are depressed, burnt out, disengaged, and frustrated with their inability to find mental space to heal.

?Today, people are seeking career opportunities with purpose that provide them flexibility to be creative and allow for a life that they desire. People are refusing to hang on to jobs that lead to burnout and mental trauma. Gig economy is on the rise and great resignation and talent war continues. Organizations need to look at talent, performance, and work with a completely different lens to appeal to this new, enlightened employee base.

So, what will organizations need to do address this need of their employees:

• Share the purpose of the business with your employees: In last 2 years, if there is one question that I see people asking themselves every day, it is - why am I here? Why am I doing what I am doing? How is what I am doing helping change the world? Today’s workforce wants to be associated with purpose-driven organizations that make a positive impact on the world. They know that living is much more than just making a living, so they want to make sure that they are spending energy on something that makes a positive impact on the world. So leaders, if you haven’t defined the purpose of your company, now would be a good time to think about it.
• Review your company and talent strategy: The following questions will help: How are you hiring talent? Are you proactively planning for attrition and building solutions so that the?employees who decide to stay with the organization are not taxed with the additional workload due to attrition? Are you agile and nimble to relook at the company priorities which the changing talent landscape or is everything urgent and important? What flexibility are you providing your employees to address their need for work life integration? How is employee performance evaluated? (Time spent at work vs value at work.) How are you supporting your employees who are now remote or hybrid? And how are you supporting, coaching, and enabling your leaders to lead the teams such that the focus on integrating work with life is not lost? Are your companies processes defined in such a manner that things don't fall apart when people take time off to focus on their mental health?
• Provide opportunities and benefits that focus on mental wellness: This needs to go beyond just medical benefits or access to a few pdfs. I recently attended a mindfulness program, and it completely changed my perspective towards myself and my ecosystem (family, friends, and coworkers). While there are many mindfulness apps and a lot of content out there and I have been practicing various mindfulness techniques for a while, I knew that I needed more than just breathing or relaxation techniques. And many people in my network feel the same. I have also heard and read about the recent studies about some negative effects of mediation and mindfulness so I wanted to go through the program with a coach. This program focused on neuro-linguistic programming and healing techniques with a lot of focus on inner work that most of us need to be able to address issues like mental wellness, depression, anxiety, and burnout. So, when thinking about benefits and opportunities, think mindfulness programs, meetingless Mondays, and recharge days. Alida, a company in the total experience space has just announced a 4-day week pilot for all their employees to empower their employees to recharge and find balance.
• ?Walk the talk: Have you ever been on calls where your manager askes you “How are you?” and even before you respond, moves on to the next topic on the agenda? I would rather have someone start the conversation with “Hi- I have a quick ask...” than ask me how I am doing and not expect an honest answer. Bottomline - As leaders we need to be real and authentic in our conversations and give our team members an opportunity to bring their whole self to work and share what they are going through. It is also important to allow people to set boundaries and then as leaders to respect those boundaries. I love this message that Brea Starmer, CEO of Lions+Tigers has in her email signature for non-urgent emails - My work and family life require flexibility from me, so my hours may not be your hours. No need to reply until your schedule allows. As the CEO of the company, she sets the tone as a leader that she values flexibility and provides that psychological safety to her team to set boundaries as well.

?What strategies are you using in your organization to support mental health of your employees? Let’s continue the conversation in the comments.

In my next newsletter, I will pick another top trend and share strategies and resources to make the most of it. Make sure to subscribe so that you don’t miss out on next month’s newsletter.

Resources:

• ?How to manage anxiety
• 5 mindfulness techniques
• Stop telling employees to be resilient