Why Corporate Psychology Strategies Can Enhance Employee Well-Being?

Today’s employees seek a genuine purpose in their work. Unlike previous generations, who often viewed work as an end in itself, the new generation sees working in a large company or bank as a chore. The primary sources of dissatisfaction are a lack of meaning and autonomy and a lack of flexibility and fluidity.

This is why, some companies are now questioning their practices, recognising their unhealthy procedural ideologies, and opening their doors to corporate psychologists. This shift is beneficial as it helps companies and employees develop a greater understanding and stronger bonds, making it easier to achieve success, financial goals, and industry leadership.

Whilst, the objective of any business is profitability and success. Still, companies’ profitability and success depend on many important factors, such as Employee performance, customer satisfaction, brand promotion and reputation, and many more. These factors give companies the reason to grow, perform, succeed, and be the best in their fields. 

A corporate psychologist can evaluate these situations, focusing not just on issues but also on psychological concerns like respect, dignity, empowerment, and effectiveness. Corporate psychology supports companies in running smooth and successful businesses by addressing every core function. It helps companies understand how to support their employees, leading to a sense of purpose, connection to the bigger picture, and collective growth, profit, and success.

Empowering and trusting employees is key to inspiring them to give their best, thereby increasing productivity. I encourage companies to break down the silos created by multiple managerial layers, as excessive procedures can paralyse action. 

For example, promoting someone to a manager based solely on performance without considering management skills or charisma is counterproductive. Restoring a sense of purpose to work is essential, as many employees today are unaware of the purpose behind their tasks.

Employee’s new needs and the solutions provided by corporate psychology

As I previously mentioned, the primary sources of dissatisfaction in the workforce include a lack of meaning and autonomy. Nowadays, We do witness some companies questioning themselves. This is a very good place to start because they have fallen into an unhealthy procedural ideology, and they have noticed it. When companies and employees carry greater understanding and a strong bond, it makes achieving success, finding financial success, and being the best in their fields easier. 

Employees must be empowered and trusted. That is the key for companies to succeed, by inspiring employees to give their best and increase their productivity. Then they have to break down the silos because there are so many managerial layers within larger companies. Our society of procedures can turn to “absurdity” and paralyse the action. 

For example, today, if you work well, you become a manager. However, management is not a promotion but a skill. Charisma is one of the essential qualities of a manager, and it is not procedural. Finally, the sense of work must be returned to the heart of the company’s operation. 

Employee’s well-being is a grave concern

Recently, companies have invested in the well-being of their employees, but from my perspective as a clinical psychologist, their approach is flawed.

Companies seem to focus only on making people happy, and they invest a lot to reach this expectation: hiring a chief happiness officer, hiring smaller private companies to offer yoga sessions to their employees, or planning a one-time per year “building team’s day”. 

Despite those efforts, we have never seen so much discomfort in companies as today. That means that we are not getting it right, that there is something wrong with the approach. Very often, the well-being of employees is reduced to the deception of “happiness”. This has to change. Even well-being and happiness in business have become procedural.

While joy is indefinable, subjective, and personal, it goes beyond the professional sphere; it is changing. By saying that well-being makes you perform, you reverse the cause and the consequence. It is the ability to act and to perform that can make you feel happy. 

Employees must be given a renewed sense of action and engagement in their professional lives. The feeling of submission and merely enduring work is harmful and devitalising. 

Author:

Dr Eleonore Brocq, Clinical Psychologist at Camali Clinic

For:

The HR Observer, June 2024