Promoting good wellbeing during organisational change

Mental wellbeing refers to how we feel, how well we cope with daily life, and what feels possible at the moment. It is not just about being happy or unaffected by experiences; it can involve having good wellbeing even while dealing with mental health problems. For that reason, promoting good wellbeing is a vital part of people-centric change if we are to prevent people feeling overwhelmed and alone. Promoting good wellbeing sends messages to staff that they are valued and appreciated.  Designing wellbeing into work cannot be done by HR alone. The incorporation of wellbeing into a transformation must be done as an integral part of the process, championed by leaders and managers at every level and in every function if it is to make a meaningful difference. The design of wellbeing into business transformation is, therefore, a practice that must be developed, strengthened, and flexed over time to be effective. As business transformations become more rapid and complex, the ways in which an organization supports individual, team, and organizational wellbeing must adapt in tandem. Wellbeing is no longer about balancing work with life but integrating work and life in a more flexible way.  By giving wellbeing more prominence and viewing it as a vital part of people-centric change, so much more can be done in fostering and nurturing a healthy and thriving environment during business transformations.  Some of the ways that this can be done (but by no means the only ones) are: 

·      Support wellbeing

Ask “How well do we support wellbeing”.  Followed by “What help do you need”? These questions can be asked anonymously or in group or 1-2-1 settings in-person or online.  Having access to the right data allows the right conversations to be facilitated with the right person at the right time, allowing for bespoke individual and team support to be developed be it in the form of training, coaching or mentoring. By co-creating those positive actions, it enables accountability and engagement on the part of the individual or team. It also creates a proactive rather than reactive approach as by the time negative symptoms are displayed (such as sickness, bullying, toxic environments, presenteeism etc.) the harm and damage has sadly already been done.

 ·      The answers are to be found in the room

Provided with the right data individuals and teams can provide their very own solutions which can then be supported and endorsed by the organization. A shared awareness. The root causes of so many wellbeing issues can be quickly surfaced by those closest to the problem, along with the solutions. When people realise that they are not alone or isolated they begin to work together in a non-judgemental and safe space to change those experiences for the betterment of everyone and also the overall success of the project. Future constructive and insightful conversations can then be accelerated and driven by that insight, trust and openness. 

·      Take individual responsibility and support others

Having access to the right data ultimately allows individuals to self-manage and become responsible for their own mental wellbeing. Be mindful about wellbeing needs – both your own and that of your team members - and check-in regularly, proactively, and consistently with colleagues on their wellbeing needs and preferences.  When it is evident that individuals are struggling with the pressure of a transformation it is important to reach out to them. 

·      Role model

Managers play an integral part, when it comes to alleviating the negative impact of business transformations for example, by showing their commitment to avoiding excessive workloads and minimizing unpredictable hours during a transformation.  And also by role modelling wellbeing behaviours such as taking breaks and time out to rest and recuperate.

·      Maintain the energy levels

Maintaining energy levels across any change is vitally important but it is also a symptom of wellbeing of individuals and teams. To complement this, focus on showing appreciation when goals and priorities are completed. Celebrating wins, even short term ones, such as wins of the week, can have a big impact during transformations.

·      Support work-life balance

Business transformations should not come at the cost to the well-being of individuals.  To help to alleviate the risk of this embed wellbeing criteria in the planning of the implementation and enable team agency and choice by allowing teams to adopt wellbeing practices best suited to them in the form of co-created social contracts.

 ·      A data driven experiential insight

Critical to any wellbeing strategy is the ability to capture first-person experiential data. This allows the individual, team and organization to gain vital context as to how they are coping with the current set of workplace experiences which are acting upon them and why they are behaving and reacting as they are. An initial condition sensitivity and a wellbeing baseline from which to work from.

 ·      Data Monitoring

Once an individual baseline has been acquired organizations can periodically monitor that wellbeing. People’s wellbeing is fluid and can be put at risk due to workplace and social impacts and events. Getting ahead of the danger by monitoring patterns and creating a fluid risk matrix is crucial if a proactive response to wellbeing is to be developed. As W. Edwards Deming once said, “Without data you’re just another person with an opinion”

In my latest book on People-Centric Change David Howell, Director and Founder Able and Rush www.ableandrush.com provides a thought provoking business insight in which he describes how to ensure that a business transformation, promotes and monitors wellbeing.  In the case of a major digital transformation for a Midlands Police Service, UK, David describes how this begins with the recruitment and selection of the transformation project team and the impact that this team can have on the wellbeing of others.  To be able to reap the benefits of wellbeing throughout any change management project, David stresses the need to have an initial baseline from which each person starts from. This can then be monitored periodically and important conversations about wellbeing encouraged in a timely manner. Importantly, it involves being proactive to problems rather than reactive. Mental health and well-being then become an intrinsic part of any change project rather than an extrinsic one, increasing the likelihood of successful outcomes and the healthy passage (mentally and physically) for all those involved.