A New Normal for Wellbeing

Co-authored by Wagner Denuzzo and Parneet Pal

What does being well at work - especially as business and society recalibrate post-COVID - look and feel like for you? 

If we explore the workplace as a social system in which we influence and are influenced by others, we might find powerful dynamics that can improve the success rates of programs aimed at enhancing the wellbeing of our teams. Despite the large amount of data available on the science of health and wellbeing, there are plenty of misconceptions and lack of understanding about health-related topics. In addition, humans have a strong tendency to form beliefs, habits and behaviors that support comfort and instant gratification, especially when social groups function as enablers of maladaptive coping mechanisms for dealing with life stressors.

The odds are stacked up against us

In the context of the workplace, the negative reinforcements are plenty. We rarely share how conflicted we are about being unable to change habits so ingrained in our daily lives. We fear negative responses and we expect to be judged by others who might be struggling with an equal number of questions and disappointments with their seemingly immutable habits. And it is these social dynamics that may be hindering our progress in crossing the finish line in our personal transformation journey. We navigate the workplace with full awareness of the norms of conduct and the professional nature of our relationships. Crossing that line might get you in trouble and at the end of the day, we are only co-workers. Or are we?

The science of well-being must be supported by the psychology of wellness. It is easier to choose fast food instead of seeking a healthier alternative. It is logical to think that comfort food might offer “comfort” during emotionally difficult times. These are all normal reactions to our environment and the current world events surrounding us. Compounded with the continuous underlying anxieties of work demands and fear of losing our jobs, our coping skills are being challenged every day. 

Self-efficacy is a good place to start

But there is a better way to manage life at work and build the resilience required for a healthy lifestyle that will lead to better psychological states of wellbeing. Nurturing supportive thoughts, reframing negative beliefs, and reflecting on what you can do instead of what you can’t, will position you for a successful start.

Doing so helps reprogram the scripts we use in our conversations with ourselves and others, and build positive reinforcements that will keep us motivated to stay the course and succeed. But it is not so simple…if it was easy, would we have thousands of books on weight loss? Would we need so many diets and programs? Not at all. But this is the reality; we are dealing with human beings in the social environment and the easiest path in life is often not the healthiest or the most rewarding in the long term. 

Connecting with the positive psychology of affirmations, optimism, hope and support will make you feel empowered to begin your personal change process. 

Try this short exercise.

Begin by closing your eyes for only 30 seconds and breathe. Inhale strength and positivity. Exhale your negative beliefs and allow your mind to be quiet for a few seconds. Yes, we sometimes lose concentration and give up, but that’s ok too. Do it again, but this time treat yourself as someone you love. Feel the difference.

As Martin Seligman, psychologist and founder of Positive Psychology says: "Habits of thinking need not be forever. One of the most significant findings in psychology in the last twenty years is that individuals choose the way they think." In fact, neuroscience and our current understanding of our brain, have confirmed that neuroplasticity offers us the opportunity to rewire our neural pathways through intentional practices and continuous awareness. Knowing that we can effect change in how we sense and respond to stimuli is reassuring and strengthens self-determination.

Pay attention to your physical environment

In addition to reconnecting with and building our self-efficacy (confidence that we can make change in our lives through our thoughts and actions), we must then examine the environment – physical and social – that we work within each day. The physical environment includes our physical space and the technology we use; while the social environment reflects the people we work with each day, the social norms within an organization and the policies and processes that govern our workflows and schedules.

For those of us who are lucky to have had the option to work from home during the Covid-19 pandemic, we are faced with the prospect of returning to the office full-time or in a hybrid manner in the coming months. Open-office spaces will need to adapt or give way to those that conform to safety guidelines, while allocating well-ventilated, private rooms where teams can brainstorm and collaborate in small groups. Technology and videoconferencing have been a lifesaver for companies globally during the pandemic – however, they cannot replace the human-human empathic cues and camaraderie that are only available with physical proximity, and essential for trust and effective collaboration. 

For Millennials and Gen Z, the return to a physical office may be more prescient (compared to Gen X and Boomers), given that many do not have the financial luxury of dedicated private office spaces with the necessary technology at home. Roommates, noise and other distractions, lack of child-care resources and home-schooling are just a few of the environmental issues that employers will have to keep in mind as keys to ongoing employee wellbeing.

Notice the social norms at your organization

Beyond personal resolve and physical spaces, perhaps the most instrumental (and often most-neglected) aspect of team wellbeing is the social environment within organizations. It’s been said that “culture eats strategy for breakfast”, and nowhere is that truer than in the arena of employee wellbeing. The best-intentioned wellbeing programming and products don’t stand a chance when social norms dictate an always-on, multi-tasking, productivity-at-all-costs culture. 

Faced with the choice between taking some time out for a wellbeing routine (meditation, exercise, sleep, eating a healthy meal etc.) versus completing the impending project deadline that is tied to our compensation, how many of us will choose our health? 

It is no surprise that we are seeing record levels of work-related stress and burnout rates across industries, along with rising rates of loneliness, anxiety, depression and chronic lifestyle-related disorders such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Ironically, the price that employers pay is high not just in terms of associated healthcare costs, but lowered productivity, engagement, creativity and increased turnover.

A new kind of leadership

But the reverse is also true. When leaders model healthy behaviors and “wellbeing” is more than a lofty idea on the company values page, the policies and processes that ensue provide the safety and permission we need as social animals, to take care of ourselves. Now, teams can choose the technology or program that fits best with their individual needs and health goals and have a fair chance of developing the habits and making the behavior change they seek. It is crucial for employers to understand that health behaviors are less about individual willpower and more about making the healthiest decisions the easy choice for everyone at their organization. And this holds true for the larger “societal organization” that encompasses business, government, communities and natural ecosystems.

The question then becomes: are we willing - as leaders, teams and individuals - to pause, step back, observe and examine our old “business-as-usual” thoughts and behaviors? We may not like what we see, but by making the unconscious, conscious, we can choose our actions differently. As we prepare to re-enter the “new normal”workplace, spaces and routines, can we also re-enter the dialogue with our own selves: what does reimagining and reinventing our personal, organizational and societal wellbeing look like?

If we pay attention and listen carefully, we may notice that our collective wellbeing depends on the answer to this simple but profound inquiry: how might we create and nurture the conditions conducive for all of life?

Parneet Pal is Chief Science Officer at Wisdom Labs.

Wagner Denuzzo is Head of Capabilities for Future of Work at Prudential Financial.