Flexible workplace. The pandemic has taught us all a lesson: to provide telework options for employees.
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 Tam Luc.
Tam Luc is a #1 International bestselling author, and founder of Women with Vision International who shares the triumphs, stress, and struggles of balancing her life to help women grow their business. After 20 years as a business entrepreneur, she helps women leverage their message and create the lifestyle they want through her own unique book messaging strategies.
Check out her new book series, “Women Who BossUp; Strategies of Successful Women Who have Leveled Up In Life, Health And Business” available now on amazon. https://amzn.to/2QE0LQa
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.
There was a time in my life where I was commuting 3 hours a day. One morning on that long stretch of highway I realized that the only quality time I had with child was during those hours we were stuck in traffic. I wanted to be more engaged with my family and in control of my time. All the hours I gave to the freeway could be put to better use.
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?
At Women with Vision International, we aim to help women find a work-life balance. The pandemic has helped people reassess their time and what is essential. I spent 3 hours every day on the highway going to and from a job that did not inspire me, but it paid the bills.
Wellness to me is living in a state of holistic health and happiness.
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?
The clients I coach begin with a self-assessment. Taking a deep dive into the areas of your life, including health and finances, is essential. Once we get honest with where we are, only then can we create a plan to move out of burnout or stagnant places to become productive. A workaholic is not the best for the company or society. I feel that a person who is focused and living their purpose will significantly impact a company’s bottom line and the culture at large.
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?
I think the writing is on the wall. We are living in unprecedented times where according to the American Psychological Association, 2 out of every 3 Americans is stressed out. They call it a National Mental Health Crisis. With this in mind, there is no better time to restructure and reimagine the workforce by offering wellness incentives. In the early 2000s, organizations began offering vacation days as an incentive for tracking your physical fitness. In addition, we need to encourage self-care to alleviate the daily stress of commutes, homeschooling, and the latest COVID variant.
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?
Through the Women Who Boss Up series, I teach women how to find a balance in their lives.
I know we all want to be superwomen, but the truth is when you try to keep too many plates spinning simultaneously, one will inevitably break. My suggestion for corporations is to build flexibility into their recruitment model. I suggest moving to a project-based environment instead of the standard 9–5 model.
Some of the best employees are working moms driving carpools and cleaning the house while trying to stay in line with the 9–5 — it does not work in this modern age. However, if corporations offer project-based opportunities, moms can work on off hours and still meet the company’s desired results.
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: We offer a paid virtual “Happy Hour” where we meet via Zoom to connect, laugh, and blow off steam.
· Emotional Wellness: I suggest using my “Perfect Day Journal” to set goals for your day to maximize wellness, including physical fitness. It builds team camaraderie through our points system.
· Social Wellness: The pandemic has isolated us, and many still do not want to return to the office. However, we believe in connecting as often as possible to stay in tune with the company’s and each other’s heartbeat.
· Physical Wellness: We use the “Perfect Day Journal” to track fitness goals; when we reach them as a team, there are bonuses and incentives.
· Financial Wellness: 1 out of 2 couples say they argue about money. We offer resources for financial coaching to help our team keep a balance in their bank accounts and lives.
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?
Commuting is a huge stressor, and employees feel the pinch with the price of gas going through the roof. A great incentive is offering a gas card for those living outside a 10-mile radius. Another motivation is to provide flex days to help the environment. As a result, your employees will arrive more refreshed instead of cranky from fighting traffic.
How are you reskilling leaders in your organization to support a “Work Well” culture?
We meet regularly to discuss ways to reduce stress and get in a clear frame of mind. My team knows I value my time with my husband and family, and I expect them to do the same. It is the culture I promote from the top down. The adage “A happy wife is a happy life” — I say, “A happy employee is a key to a happy company.”
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 first step is to find a professional to assess your company’s needs. You may not have the resources or skills to implement the right policies.
What are your “Top 5 Trends To Track In the Future of Workplace Wellness?”
1. The growth of Women in leadership positions. I firmly believe this is the woman’s time, and we will see more female leaders take their place in the C-suite.
2. Flexible workplace. The pandemic has taught us all a lesson: to provide telework options for employees.
3. The second lesson from the pandemic is the need for workplace involvement in the mental well-being of its employees. More places offer “Personal Days” or Mental Health days to give employees time to destress.
4. Some places of business are now allowing pets at work. It is a proven fact that petting your dog or cat is calming.
5. There is a push toward more Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the boardrooms.
I believe there is a shift to include a mix of people and races, which will only increase the bottom line.
What is your greatest source of optimism about the future of workplace wellness?
The pandemic gave companies a chance to reimagine the 21st-century workforce. I see a future with more flexibility in the office environment, including telework and project-based opportunities. I do not think married women with children are made to do the 9–5.
It is grueling, and our families and mental health are paying the price. More flexibility at the workplace will alleviate these issues.
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?
Thank you for sharing your insights and predictions. We appreciate the gift of your time and wish you continued success and wellness.