A strategically sound team works wonders!
Shall we do the exercise together? Take out your strategy and read it cover to cover. How many times does it mention words like ”wellbeing”, ”well-being”, ”well-being” or ”mood”? How about ”profit”, ”turnover” or "profitability"?
We have a hypothesis that the strategy does not talk too much about people's well-being. We argue that in almost all strategies, profit, turnover and profitability and their derivatives get several dozen times more mentions than any welfare-related topic. This is more pronounced for smaller operators, where well-being is sometimes seen more as a nice-to-have extra or something that ”comes naturally”.
Spoiler: otherwise there will be no.
According to research, a thriving work community and, even more specifically, thriving teams are those that also perform better than their peers. Some studies even claim that a prosperous person produces up to twice as much as an overstressed and tired ”drifter”.
So, what are the wonders that thriving teams create? To put it very simply, there are five things:
Improved productivity:
A good mood helps to keep the eye on the ball, i.e. focus more on what is being done, so that satisfaction also increases the performance of individuals.
Commitment:
A happy employee is also a satisfied employee, so they are happy and good at their job, and as a result they are more committed to the team and the company. This in turn reinforces a good employer image.
Less stress:
Stress can never be eliminated, nor should it be, because the right amount of stress is even good for you. The key is to prevent stress from turning into exhaustion in a well person - and the sad story of the exhausted worker is one that everyone who has been at work for any length of time already knows by heart.
Innovation:
In an ever-changing world, innovation is the key to long-term success. However, innovation fades into haste and anxiety, just as human beings themselves eventually do, while a good and relaxed mind will overflow with positive innovation.
Economic benefits:
It's simple - a prosperous worker is less absent and produces more when they are there. It all adds up to euros, however you look at it.
So it's fair to say that by investing in people's wellbeing, you're actually investing in better performance, which in turn easily translates into profitability and, of course, turnover - the very things that the strategy talks about again.
So if at this point you feel a little (or a big) twinge in your heart, stop for a moment and think about your strategy. Does it take into account people's well-being as an enabler of results or does it produce results at the expense of people's well-being?? There is no doubt which one we believe will lead to better results in the long run.
And hey - remember that small actions can achieve big things. Don't start moving the mountain, but start by identifying a few key issues that are undermining your wellbeing and tackle them. At the same time, think about how you should include these measures in your strategy, so that you don't find yourself putting out similar fires again, even after the holiday season.
To these images, to these moods. Happy summer to all!
