A New Era Of Employee Wellbeing

The notions and motivations about work and the workplace have seen a lot of variations across generations. While a generation went to work for survival and building things from scratch, another generation got a steady base with ample opportunities leading them to work for a standard of living. 

The present generation of millennials and GenZ look for quality of life, which encompasses aspects like a quality workplace, work culture and, most importantly, mental well-being.

A Harvard Business Review highlights that 95 per cent of adults aged 18 to 30 are particularly affected by mental health challenges and are also the least prepared to deal with them. Companies should focus on creating a more inclusive environment and be ready to step up and support our people.

While a generation gap at the workplace promotes synergies of work experiences and thoughts, it also sometimes leads to comparisons as to what the different notions of some aspects of work are for young and seasoned employees.

Praveen George, CHRO, Iron and Ferro Alloys, Sesa Goa Iron Ore Business, shares that his organisation does not have a disparity between young and seasoned employees, and all aspects, including mental health, take an integrated approach.

"Anything we do towards that is perceived as employee wellness does not stop with physical wellness, and it does not stop with mental illness; it doesn't stop even with emotional wellness. It goes beyond we have multiple avenues where we cater to the needs of people. It could even be financial wellness; it could be purposefulness of what you are doing," says George.

George feels that today people are looking for a match between their personal values and the values of their organisations. "Hence, the most important part also becomes the purposefulness of the organisation that meets the requirements of what an employee is looking for, as a proposition in the organisation," he adds.

Shyamasree Chakrabarty, Senior Director, HappyPlus Consulting, dwells on the aspect of work-life balance, which is among the most debated topics regarding mental well-being at the workplace. "It is a very debatable topic, but we must understand that this balance comes when we love our work and what we are doing. When you love your work, you will go that extra mile, blurring the line between the two," she says.

Chakrabarty states that people are not investing in building habits which can make them happy, and that's why sometimes it leads to misalignment of what they aspire from the organisation and what they eventually get, which leads to stress.

Vishal Karad, Head of Human Resources, Genova Biopharmaceuticals, elaborates on the role of HR in creating a conducive environment for employees at the workplace. "We cannot have one formula for all. Suppose we are starting an initiative about emotional well-being. In that case, we should give them different options, and that is where the role of HR will come in to connect with different levels of employment to create different solutions," he says.