The importance of workplace wellness
We interview Monica Barter, The Female Lead at The Wellness Potential, on why workplace wellness matters and how employers can help promote it within their companies
Text: Hui Yi Phua
credit: Kindel Media
The average person spends about 1/3 of their life at work, which amounts to over 90,000 hours over the course of a lifetime. Given that we spend so much of our lives working, it is essential that we maintain good physical and mental health practices at our workplace to ensure our overall, long-term well-being.
Indeed, now more than ever, companies are starting to acknowledge and recognise the importance of workplace wellness. When we work in a healthy, supportive environment that prioritises employees’ well-being, it benefits the company and every employee in various ways like less burnouts, improved employee engagement, reduced turnover and better work performance.
So how can we, as employers and leaders of our companies, contribute in building a healthy work environment? We interviewed Monica Barter, The Female Lead at The Wellness Potential and former Group Operations Director of COMO Shambhala. Monica has more than 20 years of experience in the wellness and hotel business, and played an instrumental role in implementing wellness into the COMO Brand, which is now widely known for their fully integrated wellness programmes offered to guests who seek purposeful, restorative breaks.
credit: Monica Barter
More than anyone, Monica understands the need for wellness in workplaces. Below is our interview with her on why she believes in creating a culture of health within organizations, as well as how we can better promote wellness practices in our workplaces.
Why and how organisations should create a culture of health for their organisations and teams
I worked in a corporate environment for 18 years and spent a great deal of time heading up a global wellness business. I’ve always tried to look at ways to work with HR and the Executive teams to get them to align the company values with that of the well-being arm (of COMO).
It is my passion and belief that organisations who truly put their people first are those that will thrive in the long run, and succeed in building a solid reputation. This is especially so with the current and future generations who are more selective about who they work for and will want to know what your company stands for, your social and environmental governance and guiding principles.
For me personally, knowing that I worked in an environment where my colleague “had my back”, supports my wellbeing and a work culture I want to wake up to and go to work for! I had the opportunity to lead and build an amazing team at COMO Shambhala Estate in Bali. We worked with a high level of clarity and respect, we led by example and incorporated a lot of mindful work ethics into the daily operations of the property. As a result, the good energy nurtured amongst the team could also be felt and noticed by the guests on the property and it was always very rewarding to read this in reviews and from feedback given by our guests, stakeholders and Owner.
What can be weaved into everyday working lives that can help support employees health
Be an empathetic leader to create and change the working environment to a positive one.
To spark change within our organisations, we have to step up and be a leader. A lot of people understand Management, but not necessarily Leadership. Management is about dealing with the complexity of producing consistent results. Leadership is about coping and creating change.
Next, what does it mean to create a culture of health? Culture is incredibly powerful and directs people in everyday actions. It answers the question of “how do we do things and treat people around here?”. From these definitions, we can understand that to create a healthy, supportive work environment in an organization, the leaders must first set a good example for employees to look towards.
Be an empathetic leader, allow your team members to let you know what piques their interest, listen to their ideas and then guide the process from there. I always find this to be a much better approach than an ego-filled top down one. Certain policies will need to be created to build a culture of health. And if well-led by example from the Leaders of the organisation, people will know how to behave and treat others in a way that is appropriate and befitting of them being an ambassador for your company and brand.
Support, invest in and encourage employee health and well-being
You can start in small ways to create workplace wellness. For example, within the physical office space, you can help set the tone through your actions and speech. These seemingly insignificant details matter more than you think! Being a good role model inspires your employees to practice the same healthy, positive work habits, and in turn, creates space for wellness in your workplace.
Even when everyone is working from home, you can still set the tone by encouraging your employees to take more breaks instead of sitting at their desks all day. This builds trust between you and your employees, and at the same time, allows them to feel a sense of empowerment and ownership over their work. It’s a more positive way to motivate employees to deliver their work on time and with quality rather than micro-managing.
Another avenue to create a health culture within your organization is to invest in your employees’ health. Give small rewards to employees who take the onus to enrol themselves in self-help or other activities that are beneficial for their mental and physical well-being. The rewards signal to your employees that taking care of themselves is a priority and necessity. When your employees are well-taken care of, they have more capacity and motivation to work more productively, which ends up benefitting the company as well.
