Workplace Well-Being

For people with full-time jobs, working four days a week rather than five days could have lasting positive effects for individuals and for society as a whole. Bold companies in the United States and abroad who want to offer their employees better opportunities for work-life balance are testing the 32-hour workweek and finding positive results. Here are some benefits to consider, ways to move forward, and legislators working on the issue.

De todos los entornos que exploramos semanalmente, quizás nos presentemos en nuestros espacios de trabajo con mayor frecuencia. Esa podría ser una oficina en el hogar, ya que el cambio a espacios de trabajo virtuales ha sido abundante en los últimos años, o podría estar volviendo a una oficina o un entorno en persona. Cualquiera que sea el aspecto de nuestro espacio de trabajo, a menudo, cuando llegamos allí, se asume que lo único que podemos hacer es nuestra función laboral. Lo que significa que el cuidado personal queda en un segundo plano a medida que priorizamos nuestra producción.

Out of all the environments we explore on a weekly basis, we show up to our workspaces perhaps most frequently. That might be a home office as the shift to virtual workspaces has been abundant in the past few years, or you might be transitioning back to an office or in-person setting. Whatever your workspace looks like, often when you arrive there it’s assumed that the only thing we can do is our work function. Which means that self-care sits on the back burner as we prioritize our production.

When we’re trying to cultivate holistic well-being, we must consider what impact our work and workplaces are having on our lives. It’s no secret that a vast majority of our days are spent in work environments. Whether you work from home or commute to another location, you will likely see a pattern that shows space at the very beginning and very end of your day, reserved for life, and all the space between full of work duties. Looking at how much time you spend working over the course of your life, it may become clear that work plays a significant role in your overall health and well-being.

Early on, many of us are rewarded and learn to feel like we’ve done a good job based on reaching the goals that others tell us to achieve, receiving positive feedback, and moving on to the next goalpost. As adults, this definition of success isn’t working well for us. It can lead to perfectionism, burnout, and the feeling of constantly chasing the next goal.

Given that most working Americans spend over forty hours in the office each week, it comes as no surprise that prioritizing physical and mental well-being on the job has the potential to significantly increase happiness, engagement, and satisfaction. Caring for your mental health at work is one of the most important things that you can do to enhance your overall well-being.

Oftentimes we search for meaningful work that fulfills us, or we strive for work-life balance trying to avoid burnout. These are admirable pursuits, however on their own they aren’t enough to support our mental health; it’s important to take care of our whole self during the workday not only afterhours.

We live in a world of constant demand that glorifies Busy. When emails pile up, deadlines approach, and stress begins to edge in, it's critical to take a peaceful pause. Here are five easy ways to put balance into practice right from your desk.

Read how you can respect, protect, and prioritize your whole life and the lives of your employees.