Our bodies and minds are capable of a great many things. Pushing ourselves and persevering through hardships allows us to realise what was previously thought to be impossible.
My journey as an ultra-marathoner has taught me this time and time again. We do however have limitations and understanding this is what truly leads to great success. Crossing the roughest terrains by foot and running with no end in sight was only attainable by properly balancing my pace, nutrition, and breath. We are not machines, as much as we’d sometimes like to think. We are all bound by the same demands of rest, sleep, and fatigue.
It is great to see organisations expanding this sentiment into the context of ‘work.’ While there is still a lot to be done, acknowledging that well-being is at the heart of a company’s success is a great leap forward. Prioritising wellness at both a collective and individual level should no longer be seen as a benefit, but rather as a part of the overall strategy of every ecosystem. Addressing these different areas is no simple task and requires carefully designed approaches and procedures.
Being a leader requires the forethought to anticipate challenges and the awareness to learn from those around you. There are valuable lessons to be learned from the global HR community as we see the rise of a culture that values the principles of wellness, diversity, and inclusion. The pandemic has shown us that a resilient environment enables an organisation to thrive above all others. Fostering these ideas and conventions is at the core of how I choose to operate with my co-workers, clients, and stakeholders.
It is not enough to offer the odd mental health day or put up flyers on the wall encouraging individuals to exercise. Companies spend billions of dollars annually on well-being to address all areas of employee health. Taking the time to invest in these initiatives has been shown to increase productivity, creativity, employee retention and general performance. This is not an easy issue to address with no ‘one size fits all’ solution available to implement.
I encourage you to develop wellness practices within your space to see how rewarding it can be. Our community can help you in this journey by delivering you the tools and platforms to connect with like-minded individuals in the HR space.
Matt Chapman is founder of ChapmanCG and co-creator of Thrive HR Exchange, where global HR professionals and people leaders come together to co-create the future of work. Through global connections that foster the exchange of knowledge and fuel innovation, members find compassionate support, meaningful connections and diverse best-practice sharing. Thrive HR Exchange empowers the people leaders of today and tomorrow to become agents of change within their industries.
