Growth Opportunities — Employees receiving more opportunities to develop professional and personal goals from employers.
The pandemic pause brought us to a moment of collective reckoning about what it means to live well and to work well. As a result, employees are sending employers an urgent signal that they are no longer willing to choose one — life or work — at the cost of the other. Working from home brought life literally into our work. And as the world now goes hybrid, employees are drawing firmer boundaries about how much of their work comes into their life. Where does this leave employers? And which perspectives and programs contribute most to progress? In our newest interview series, Working Well: How Companies Are Creating Cultures That Support & Sustain Mental, Emotional, Social, Physical & Financial Wellness, we are talking to successful executives, entrepreneurs, managers, leaders, and thought leaders across all industries to share ideas about how to shift company cultures in light of this new expectation. We’re discovering strategies and steps employers and employees can take together to live well and to work well.
As a part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Marie Baker.
DermaCrush Medical Aesthetics President and Medical Director Marie Baker FNP-C is an Arizona native and board-certified family nurse practitioner providing non-invasive cosmetic dermatology services in Scottsdale. Marie works to empower both men and women to feel and look their absolute best through restorative facial aesthetics, non-surgical facial and body enhancements, and the utilization of lasers and energy devices to provide natural results that rejuvenate and enhance the skin. Marie received her Bachelor of Science in nursing from Arizona State University and her Master of Science in nursing from Grand Canyon University, as well as has trained and collaborated with some of the most prestigious medical professionals in the Valley.
Thank you for making time to visit with us about the topic of our time. Our readers would like to get to know you better. Tell us about a formative experience that prompted you to change your relationship with work and how work shows up in your life.
Before founding DermaCrush Medical Aesthetics, I was fortunate to have a broad range of medical experience that prepared me for where I am today. Having started at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, I transitioned to a smaller organization where I sharpened my focus under the mentorship of one of the top female-owned cosmetic dermatologists in the Valley. In late 2019, this accumulation of work experience in medical aesthetics, medical training, and life events, led me to start my company and establish an organized environment for my team.
Harvard Business Review predicts that wellness will become the newest metric employers will use to analyze and to assess their employees’ mental, physical and financial health. How does your organization define wellness, and how does your organization measure wellness?
I agree with Harvard Business Review; wellness should include physical and emotional health. The environment and culture at DermaCrush foster open communication and support for one another, serving as an incubator for each one of our talented professionals to deliver the best patient results. Each team member knows they have support from their colleagues, whether for work tasks or personal issues.
Based on your experience or research, how do you correlate and quantify the impact of a well workforce on your organization’s productivity and profitability?
There is a strong correlation between happy, inspired employees and their productivity. Significant effort is placed on employee happiness at DermaCrush, from keeping their favorite snacks in the breakroom to schedule flexibility. The culture at DermaCrush is noticeably thriving; even our patients come into the office and can feel that positive, even palpable, energy. We attract people that want to be at DermaCrush, both as team members and clients.
Even though most leaders have good intentions when it comes to employee wellness, programs that require funding are beholden to business cases like any other initiative. The World Health Organization estimates for every $1 invested into treatment for common mental health disorders, there is a return of $4 in improved health and productivity. That sounds like a great ROI. And, yet many employers struggle to fund wellness programs that seem to come “at the cost of the business.” What advice do you have to offer to other organizations and leaders who feel stuck between intention and impact?
The cost of a wellness initiative depends on what the employer is trying to do. Taking the time to listen to your team doesn’t cost a thing; however, failure to actively listen can be very expensive. The first step to employee wellness may be to ask the employees about their wellness goals, what they are willing to do, etc. If a fitness program is intended but the funds are not there, why not meet for a workout in the park? Employers can get creative and the employees will certainly notice and appreciate the effort.
Speaking of money matters, a recent Gallup study reveals employees of all generations rank well-being as one of their top three employer search criteria. How are you incorporating wellness programs into your talent recruitment and hiring processes?
Great question. More employees of all generations are acknowledging the importance of work-life balance and a healthy professional environment. As mentioned earlier, wellness initiatives sometimes are seen as coming “at the cost of the business.” Creating a healthy work environment was one of the main factors I pursued when starting DermaCrush. We are not a large organization of thousands, but a small intimate team. Adding our Chief People Officer, Caroline Harland, to our team was critical to building the type of company we wanted, an otherwise uncommon investment for a company our size. With years of experience in high-growth professional organizations, Harland has helped us create the right environment and attract others to our team that fit our culture.
We’ve all heard of the four-day work week, unlimited PTO, mental health days, and on-demand mental health services. What innovative new programs and pilots are you launching to address employee wellness? And, what are you discovering? We would benefit from an example in each of these areas.
- Mental Wellness: Sick time/PTO
- Emotional Wellness: Sick time/PTO
- Social Wellness: Employee events, concerts
- Physical/Financial Wellness: Complementary treatments and services at DermaCrush
Can you please tell us more about a couple of specific ways workplaces would benefit from investing in your ideas above to improve employee wellness?
Employers should first create a culture of comfort and trust, where employees are genuinely listened to. This will essentially help employees feel more comfortable opening up and telling you their needs and preferences. Workplaces can also do something as simple as providing employees with their favorite snacks made available to them in the office.
How are you reskilling leaders in your organization to support a “Work Well” culture?
A positive work environment is the foundation of a successful business. It is something I discuss with my leadership team regularly. We want the staff to enjoy their work, as we spend a significant amount of time there.
Ideas take time to implement. What is one small step every individual, team, or organization can take to get started on these ideas — to get well?
The team should get together, share ideas, and choose as a united front how they would like to pursue their goal.
What are your “Top 5 Trends To Track In the Future of Workplace Wellness?”
- Mental Health As A DE&I Effort — Every demographic group experiences mental health in the workplace differently, yet it is rarely considered a DE&I initiative — workplace mental health experiences are diverse and should be supported as such.
- Growth Opportunities — Employees receiving more opportunities to develop professional and personal goals from employers.
- Feedback From Employees — Employers listening more and getting feedback in the workplace.
- Job Performance — The successes and downfalls of employees within a company reflect it as a whole. If the organization or company is allowing room for improvement, growth and healthy development practices, it will show in numbers and overall performance.
- Mental Health Care Accessibility and Breaking The Stigma — The normalization of mental health resources within the workplace such as therapy and mental health days can boost universal wellbeing for every employee.
What is your greatest source of optimism about the future of workplace wellness?
The workplace has shifted on a great scale in recent years due to the pandemic. The recovery of the general workspace has gone through many phases, but has ultimately come out stronger on the other end. The ability to adapt and change to benefit employees in crisis times fuels my optimism about the future improvement of the workplace.
Our readers often like to continue the conversation with our featured interviewees. How can they best connect with you and stay current on what you’re discovering?
Readers can stay up to date through our website www.dermacrush.com or Instagram page @dermacrushskin.
Thank you for sharing your insights and predictions. We appreciate the gift of your time and wish you continued success and wellness.