10 years ago if you were to ask your manager, “What wellbeing resources are available to me?” they would likely laugh you out of the room, or ask you “what is wellbeing?”
However, now-a-days you would receive answers such as subsidised mental-health support, lunchtime yoga classes, and team building days out.
We’ve come a long way… Or have we?
Instead of focusing on your essential needs, leadership has focused on the unessential extras. They’ve tried to run before they can walk. Yet we, the people on the ground, are the ones that suffer.
If you think about your regular work day, you won’t be thinking about these “amazing” benefits. Instead you’ll be thinking about working unpaid overtime, your lack of a lunch break and the unnecessary tasks your manager assigns to you, in order to hit company targets or quotas.
How can we be expected to enjoy these lovely extras if we don’t even have our basic needs met?
Let’s take a moment to imagine.
Imagine starting and finishing work when you are supposed to. Imagine having a work-free lunch break. Imagine switching your work phone off when you are out-of-hours.
It may seem unimaginable at the moment, and for many of us this isn’t a possibility with our current work culture. However, cultures can change and you can start that change.
Every company has a hierarchy and a chain of command. We cannot wait for the changes made at the top level to hopefully filter down to us, the people on the ground. We have to start making changes ourselves.
Here are three ways you can change your work culture, to benefit your wellbeing.
1. Start Talking
Talk to your colleagues and your managers about ways you feel the culture can change. Don’t turn this into a gossip session, be intentional about what you’re saying and create a positive space for change to feel and be possible.
2. Set Boundaries
Start small, like turning your phone off or putting it on “Do Not Disturb” for a short time when out-of-hours. Let people know you are unavailable for this time so they can see you are leading by example, and they can respect your boundary. Gradually this can be built up to longer times or larger boundaries.
3. Be Kind to Yourself
You are used to the current culture in your work-place, so when creating these changes you will not get it right every time. Be kind to yourself about making mistakes, about setting boundaries and about putting yourself and your wellbeing first – it’s not easy.
What part of wellbeing do you feel like you need to improve? Talking more? Setting boundaries? Being self compassionate? Or something else? Vote in the comments and we’ll be happy to deliver.