In Part 1 of Jan Johnson and Yong In’s series “Four Keys to Thriving Workers and Successful Organizations“, they stress the importance of supporting the people-first cultural evolution through multiple examples.
DO dial-up engagement and authentic communication to strengthen trust, resilience, and social cohesion.
DON’T gloss over or under-estimate new worker expectations for autonomy and equity, the value of empathy, or mental health challenges.
COVID brought about despairingly high levels of uncertainty and diminished interactions with others. Many of us have had our futures irrevocably altered and are mourning lost loved ones, past expectations, and meaningful connections. We’re also facing undeniable evidence of the looming existential threat of climate change.
Relationally-enriched environments—with positive human connections—are at the core of addressing loss, loneliness and anxiety. High levels of consistent supportive engagement and meaningful interactions with colleagues and leaders help rekindle interpersonal connections and trust in each other and the organization.
Welcome new worker expectations as many of them are backed by science and deliver significant ROI to their organizations. Research studies link worker expectations—like a supportive empathic manager, greater autonomy, and the prioritization of mental and physical health—to better team productivity, higher percentages of high performers, and stronger financial performance in those organizations that meet those expectations.
Employee health is a crucial factor in creating a thriving, people-first workplace. Discussions on employee health shouldn’t solely focus on burnout issues rather they should be reframed as “holistic health”. According to a recent McKinsey Health Institute report, holistic health encompasses physical, mental, social, and spiritual dimensions. Positive work experiences are reported to enhance holistic health, fostering innovation and job performance. Organizations can promote holistic health by providing resources across these dimensions, such as wellness programs, flexible work arrangements, mentoring, coaching, and diversity and inclusion initiatives.
Burnout and psychological safety, in particular, are now understood to be organizational issues and not simply insufficient self-care. A series of articles from Harvard Business Review suggests that organizations:
Instill a sense of purpose, better manage workloads, make it ok to talk about mental health; and (encourage) an empathic manager…(while) positive emotions like trust, curiosity, confidence, and inspiration broaden the mind and help us build psychological, social, and physical resources.
While not a replacement for therapy or counseling, involving employees in identifying beneficial elements and authentically developing approaches to mitigate burnout will demonstrate its prioritization, de-stigmatize needing help, and improve relevance, value, and buy-in.
Furthermore, the purpose and meaning of work are essential for employee engagement, motivation, and well-being. A study by Forbes found that people are more likely to thrive when their work has clear purpose and meaning. Employees who find their job important and meaningful report better mental health, lower stress, and higher job satisfaction. Aligning an organization’s vision and values with employees’ needs and aspirations fosters an environment where individuals can realize their potential, work productively, and contribute to their community.
According to the latest Leesman research, there are statistical relationships between the company’s purpose, workplace function, and the spatial form (office design). Once the purpose is defined, then you can understand your workplace’s functional activities and workplace design features that align with your employee’s own purpose and needs. The best way to ensure this alignment is to continuously engage the employees, understand their needs and challenges, and co-create with them throughout the workplace design process.
A people-first cultural evolution is a continuous process that requires commitment, collaboration, and creativity from all stakeholders. Taking a people-first approach to office design means considering the various work styles, emotions, senses, differing life experiences and abilities of every employee. By putting people at the center of their strategies, organizations can create workplaces that enable workers to thrive and organizations to succeed.
Read Part 2: Promote the value of the office to nurture connections and interactions
Resources
Allsteel, “What Really Matters for Knowledge Worker Performance”, https://www.allsteeloffice.com/insights/research/what-really-matters-knowledge-worker-performance
Allsteel, “Worker Effectiveness and the Role of Place”, https://www.allsteeloffice.com/insights/research/worker-effectiveness-and-role-place
In, Yong (July 2023) Work Design Magazine “How people-first design enables ALL people to thrive in the office” https://www.workdesign.com/2023/07/people-first-design-enables-all-to-thrive-in-the-office/
Leesman, “The Workplace Reset – A new minimum viable office” https://www.leesmanindex.com/publications/the-workplace-reset/
