Wellbeing ……..or 15 Fags a Day?
Wow!
A former Surgeon General says that health damage from isolation in a job is equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. That’s a kick in the teeth for Well-being.
Vivek Murthy wrote in the Harvard Business review that reducing isolation at work is good for business. Arguing that loneliness hurts work output, limits performance, collaboration and creativity and even impacts decision-making capabilities.
Well-being is also crucial to a successful smart working strategy. It’s one of the subjects that we address as part of our Smart Leadership Programme.
Recruitment.
Consider Well-being right from the start. Different smart working options suit different personality types. Giving the leader an understanding of this will help them select people who enjoy working remotely, in a hub or in a mobile role.
For example, successful mobile workers enjoy the freedom of being out on the road, visiting many different people or clients. They also tend to like a bit of down time. A quick walk in the park at lunch time or coffee and cake at Starbucks. It maybe downtime surrounded by people but it’s what they need to ensure well-being.
Management
Managing smart workers is a whole new ball game. If you have a distributed team, who are spread out geographically, you don’t have the option of getting to know individuals as you would sitting opposite one another in an office.
Leaders who learn how to find out what makes each of their virtual team tick, what their beliefs, values and subsequent behaviours are all about, can spot the signs of loneliness early on.
Co-working spaces
In terms of Well-being, these provide the antidote to loneliness and isolation for many remote and mobile workers. We can introduce you to local and nationwide providers who offer space from as little as £6 per day per worker. It really is a no-brainer in your mission to combat isolation.
They are also an excellent place for leaders to catch up with workers and have a 20 minute catch-up every so often. Performance Management and communication are subjects we discuss on our leadership programme.
Culture
Of course, loneliness can be a significant problem in offices too. People can feel left out of their team,whether they are working in the office, in the field or remotely. Smart Leaders know just how to build 2-way trust that encourages a person’s best performance.
In a review of health in the workplace, Cristina Banks (2014) reported that front-line staff identified these 2 characteristics as the top 2 requirements for a healthy workplace:
1. Organisational cultures that valued self-respect and respect for others.
2. Inclusiveness and employee voice.
We believe there is a third. Smart working is most successful where individuals are provided with development in how to work and stay healthy. That’s why our sessions also include taking responsibility for personal well being and building 2-way trust with their leader.
Smart Leaders facilitate Well-being. Smart Workers foster their own Well-being.
The Smart Working Revolution deliver a Smart Leaders Programme along with a How To Work Smart Programme for Smart Teams. Attendees earn how to improve productivity by up to 13% while maintaining well-being and work-life harmony.
Contact ideas@smartworkingrevolution.com for details.
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