When the pandemic began, well-being suddenly became central to our conversation about work. As a Chief Well-being Officer, I was glad to see the increasing acknowledgment and awareness that we’re in the midst of what can only be called a well-being crisis. But now, in the wake of the pandemic, how do we move forward to do something about it? That’s the subject of a groundbreaking new report by Deloitte called “The Workforce Well-being Imperative: Paving the way for human sustainability.” 

The top-level takeaway is that we need to dramatically broaden our notions of well-being. This needs to happen at the collective and organizational level, but there are also things we can do in our own lives to help drive this culture shift. 

The report notes that in responding to the challenges of pandemic, most organizations have given significant attention and resources to employee well-being. But, as study authors put it, “Although the intent is good, little progress can be made if the root causes of poor workforce well-being are not addressed.” And those root causes are what we call the “work determinants of well-being.” 

Public health institutions, including the World Health Organization (WHO) talk about the “social determinants of health,” which the WHO defines as “the non-medical factors that influence health outcomes. Included in those factors is work. The reason why we’ve expanded that idea into the work determinants of well-being is because work has a huge influence on every aspect of our physical and mental well-being. 

The study breaks down the work determinants of well-being into three categories: leadership behaviors at all levels; how our jobs are designed, by both ourselves and our organizations; and our ways of work, or how we get our work done. To understand how these factors impact our well-being, Deloitte surveyed over 1,200 U.S. employees across a range of industries, regions, and socio-economic levels.

The well-being crisis is systemic

The first lesson is that well-being is a systemic problem, and one that is going to require systemic solutions. We didn’t get here overnight, so there’s not going to be an easy fix. As the study makes clear, we’re definitely in a state of crisis. Among the eye-opening statistics cited is that while 80 percent of executives say well-being is a top priority, nearly 90 percent of workers think their work life is actually getting worse. And 57 percent of employees are considering quitting their job for one that better supports their well-being.

Addressing that means that at the organizational level we need to move from a legacy mindset that well-being is the responsibility of the individual to the more forward-thinking notion of well-being as a shared responsibility.  

We all have a role to play

The second lesson is just as crucial. Just because the well-being crisis is systemic doesn’t mean there’s nothing each of us can do in our individual lives. We’re all part of a system, and we’re connected to micro-systems in our own lives. We all have a sphere of influence regardless of our role in an organization. If we’re all moving in the same direction, then we’ll be able to harness that collective power for change on a collective scale.

A great example? Climate change. The climate is, of course, the biggest system on the planet. And it would be easy to become overwhelmed or cynical or despairing about what we could possibly do in our own lives to help. But as climate activist and author Heather White shows in One Green Thing: Discover Your Hidden Power to Help Save the Planet, we can make a difference. “Many argue that individual action doesn’t matter in an issue as global and enormous as the climate crisis.” White writes. “They are wrong. Individual actions matter, but perhaps not in the way you think. You alone will not solve the climate crisis. Neither will I. But if you intentionally live a more sustainable life and connect with your community about your practice of One Green Thing, you can build momentum for culture change to shift policy.”

Start with our own networks

And the same is true for the shift we need to make in well-being. We all work with other human beings on some level. So we can contribute to a network effect by being more aware of how our work habits impact others in our own individual networks. For instance, the report cites the fact that employees are spending 250 percent more time in meetings than they were before the pandemic. So in thinking about two of the work determinants of well-being — how our work is designed and our ways of working — the next time you’re putting time on someone’s calendar, ask yourself, is this meeting needed? Is it worth their time? Is it worth my time?

We all know technology is a big driver of burnout. In fact, respondents to the survey said that being always-on and switching between tasks — and apps — had a constant negative effect on their well-being. So being more intentional with how we use technology is also a great place to start.

When we find ourselves multitasking in a meeting, we should step back and ask ourselves why. Is it because we don’t believe the work we’re doing is important? Or that the person doesn’t deserve our full attention? When one person is checked out, others tend to follow. 

Another Microstep for your micro-system: blocking time. This can mean scheduling time on your calendar for yourself to get deep work done or just for self-care. And it can also mean blocking off no-meeting times for your team. Both ways will boost your own well-being and give others the permission to do the same in their own lives.

The goal is human sustainability

As the report concludes, “the ball is clearly in the court of employers to address the changing dynamics of work and move towards a model that supports human sustainability.” That’s a huge undertaking, but we can only start with what we can control. And we all have a role to play in creating the world of work we want to live in. You can read the full report here. 

Author(s)

  • Jen Fisher

    𝗩𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 + 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 | 𝖡𝖾𝗌𝗍𝗌𝖾𝗅𝗅𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖠𝗎𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗋 | 𝖳𝖤𝖣𝗑 𝖲𝗉𝖾𝖺𝗄𝖾𝗋 | 𝖧𝗈𝗌𝗍 #𝖶𝗈𝗋𝗄𝖶𝖾𝗅l | 𝖳𝗁𝗋𝗂𝗏𝖾 𝖤𝖽𝗂𝗍𝗈𝗋

    Jen Fisher is a leading voice on the intersection of work, well-being, and purpose. Her mission is to help leaders move from the legacy mindset that well-being is solely the responsibility of the individual to the forward-thinking idea of human sustainability, which supports the long-term, collective well-being of individuals, organizations, climate, and society.  

    She’s the co-author of the bestselling, award-winning book, Work Better Together: How to Cultivate Strong Relationships to Maximize Well-Being and Boost Bottom Lines, the Human Sustainability Editor-at-Large for Thrive Global, and the host of the WorkWell podcast series.

    As the first chief well-being officer of a professional services organization, Jen built and led the creation and execution of a pioneering holistic and inclusive well-being strategy that has received recognition from leading business media brands and associations.

    Jen is a frequent writer on issues impacting the workplace today, including the importance of mental health and social connection to workforce resilience, happiness, and productivity. Her work has been featured in CNBC, CNN, Fast Company, Fortune, Inc, Stanford Social Innovation Review, and Harvard Business Review, among others.

    She’s a sought-after speaker and has been featured at events including TEDx, World Happiness Summit, Out & Equal Workplace Summit, Acumen Global Gathering, WorkHuman, The Atlantic Pursuit of Happiness event, and more. She’s also lectured at top universities across the country, including Harvard, Wake Forest, Duke, and George Mason.

    Jen is passionate about sharing her breast cancer and burnout recovery journeys to help others. She’s also a healthy lifestyle enthusiast, self-care champion, exercise fanatic, sleep advocate, and book nerd! Jen lives in Miami with her husband, Albert, and dog, Fiona.

    You can find her on LinkedIn or on Twitter and Instagram @JenFish23. You can also receive her personal insights and reflections by subscribing to her newsletter, "Thoughts on Being Well" @jenfisher.substack.com.