|  | | TODAY’S HEADLINES – 08.12.2020 |
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| | | | | | | | | | | | CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS Building a wellness program that anticipates and counteracts life’s biggest regrets It’s difficult to find a silver lining to the COVID-19 catastrophe.However, one “benefit” of enduring such a chaotic, lengthy global trauma is that many of us are being forced to confront our own mortality. We’re pondering those big questions of life—and of death—and considering how we want to spend whatever time we have left on earth. Many, for the first time, are asking out loud: - Is this really how I want to be spending my days and how I want to be remembered?
- What sort of legacy do I want to leave?
- What would my “dream job” or preferred career be?
- How can I create a healthier balance between life and work?
- Is this job really worth it?
- How can I better handle financial and emotional stress moving forward?
- What regrets would I have if I continue down this path? And is it too late to change my life?
As we continue to barrel through the worst economic crisis in a century, employees are understandably tense. Company leaders might feel at a loss as to how a business might support workers in such an unstable, frightening landscape, but a robust wellness program can make a profound difference in employees’ lives.[ragan_ads ad_size='InlineAd' category='current' id='310212']However, it might take some strategic rejiggering of offerings and initiatives.Life’s big regretsBronnie Ware, an Australian palliative nurse who spent years caring for those who had just weeks to live, documented five common themes of remorse vocalized by patients in her book “The Top Five Regrets of the Dying .”What can these regrets offer communicators who are trying to help employees lead full and vibrant lives?1. “I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.” As Ware writes, “ This was the most common regret of all. When people realize that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had not honored even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made.”How can your wellness program help workers pursue and prioritize their passions? How can you facilitate working toward dreams instead of just deadlines?You might consider adding a training and development dimension to your offerings, or beefing up the budget reserved for “wish fulfillment.” What is standing between your employees and the “courage to live a life true to themselves”? You won’t know unless you ask.Once you find out, you can tweak and tailor initiatives accordingly.2. “I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.” Ah, this one’s more straightforward. If your company has high rates of burnout and an unhealthy obsession with (or just a tolerance of) working excessively long hours, consider this a wakeup call.Your wellness program should factor in rest, relaxation and rejuvenation. Employers can help prevent this chief deathbed regret simply by enforcing a humane work schedule and by implementing generous leave policies. Some extra PTO is always nice, too.3. “I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.” Ware writes, “ Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result.”Wellness programs can and should factor in ways to mitigate workplace stress. Much of that stress comes from interpersonal dynamics and poor communication. Make sure your program offers something that helps workers become better, more effective communicators who have the confidence and skill to convey ideas clearly and with conviction.4. “I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.” Work has a way of diminishing and dwindling our personal lives. That’s a shame, because that’s what tends to matter most when we’re on the way out. As Ware writes, “ It all comes down to love and relationships in the end. That is all that remains in the final weeks, love and relationships.”Does your wellness program consider this fundamental need for cultivating “love and relationships”? If not, it should.Especially amid the loneliness of the pandemic, get creative in your offerings. Perhaps you can fight for a “compassion travel” line item to help employees safely visit family members? Surely you can come up with something that facilitates substantial, life-affirming connectivity and collaboration.5. “I wish that I had let myself be happier.” The country of Bhutan measures success not by GDP or GNP, but by the concept of “Gross National Happiness .”As you craft your wellness program, consider, “Are employees truly happy?” If not, why, and how can you help them become “happier” in their lives?It might seem a soft metric, but happy workers are more productive and engaged on the job. That’s the stuff that boosts the bottom line—and makes for a healthier, more robust workforce who will carry fewer regrets later on in life. |
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