Workplaces have never been so vibrant, dynamic, and busy. Yet employees have never been more miserable, exhausted, and disengaged. Cognitive overload—when employees are burdened with too much information leaving them with little memory to store processed data—is killing creativity and leading to employee burnout. Plus, businesses are throwing away billions of dollars every year in productivity losses due to disengaged, inattentive employees who struggle to get things done.
Engaged employees are more productive every day and find more creative solutions to business challenges. Great employee engagement is why some companies have fantastic employee retention rates. By focussing on empowering their human capital with a holistic workplace wellness plan, such companies foster creativity and growth.
Here are 10 creative strategies companies adopt to ensure workplace wellness:
1. Collaboration through an open workspace design.
An open-office layout, with fewer personal cabins and more collaborative zones, encourages teams to get together to solve problems, innovate products and solutions, and connect with each other.
2. Emphasis on health with ergonomic furniture.
Chairs and desks designed to improve employee posture help avoid long-term back/shoulder problems. Harvard School of Public Health states that "Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a leading cause of employee injury and illness across industries and occupations. Fortunately, work-related MSDs and their associated costs can be prevented through the effective application of ergonomic principles." With ergonomic furniture at work, employees also realise that the company is invested in their continued good health and are therefore much more satisfied, energetic, and proactive at work.
3. Equal importance to mental health.
Considerate leaders, helpful HR staff, and access to doctors and therapists help employees deal with stress and pressure related to their personal and professional lives. Employees in companies that give equal importance to mental health are supportive of others and understand their need to be heard during difficult times. Leaders in such companies often encourage employees to take breaks from work and meditate—an incredible mind relaxation tool.
4. Employee growth through mentoring and coaching programs.
Employee development, training, and succession planning is given a great deal of importance in organisations driven by creativity. Leaders in such companies choose the 'Transformational Leadership' style and lead by inspiration and motivation. They train employees across functions and help everyone grow in their niche. Because employees get a great deal of support and interest from their corporate leaders and managers, they are likely to stay motivated and happy.
5. Drawing a connection between individual passion and company vision.
Organisations driven by creativity depend on employees to deliver innovative and ingenious ideas to reach their goals. They inspire employees to build a strong connection with the organisation by encouraging them to pick projects they are passionate about and tie them with the overriding goal. It’s a win-win for everyone.
6. Innovation through collaboration and teamwork.
Open communication and access to information goes a long way in helping employees deliver exceptional results. A culture of brainstorming and teamwork and a community spirit is at the centre of the structure of creative organisations. Employees show collective ownership over big wins and failures alike, keeping everyone motivated and alert.
7. Happiness and positivity through storytelling.
The Founder and Chief Storyteller of Dufter.in, Akhil Kakkar, believes that biographical storytelling, in positive ways, goes a long way in helping people understand and make sense of their lives. Similarly, organisations who care about employee wellness encourage teams to alter opinions about their lives and difficulties by expressing themselves through positive storytelling.
8. Emphasis on questioning as a way to problem-solving.
Encouraging employees to ask questions helps them gain deeper insights, puts things in perspective, and ensures fewer mistakes. In such organisations, employees who ask questions aren’t looked down upon; instead, they are applauded for their interest and desire to know more. Having a clear idea about what is expected, the problems one could face, and the end objective guarantees creativity and better results.
9. Team building through regular informal sessions.
Teamwork and community spirit are a result of a deeper connection between employees. And that happens when teams meet informally, outside of work, to connect around their personal lives, likes, interests, and passions. Organising regular off-sites, team building games, or just team dinners are a great way to get people out of their shells and build closer relations. Such relations become massive pillars of support when someone faces problems or hurdles. Knowing that the team has their back makes it easier for employees to stay positive and happy at work.
10. Using art to unleash creativity.
Art helps put imagination to good use. Simple exercises like building objects out of scrap or painting to relax and release stress are some ways employees unleash their creativity while giving their minds a break.
Employees are a your greatest assets and therefore, their wellness should be your priority. Give these 10 creative strategies for workplace wellness a try and see your employees feeling connected, inspired, motivated, and creative at work.
Meetings are a mainstay of modern workplace communication, and for good reason. Done right, meetings aid collaboration, creativity, innovation, and inclusivity among teams. A study1 by ResearchGate reveals that over 50% of respondents considered their meetings productive and only 15% complained about them being a waste of time.
Yet, many of us hear superiors say, “If you’re invited to a meeting, we expect you to speak up. Don’t wait for someone to ask you.”
So, when you can’t find your voice in a meeting or if you’re getting interrupted too often when you try to speak, here are a few ways to make yourself heard in meetings.
7 Ways to Make Your Voice Heard in Meetings.
1.Do your research beforehand.
Walking into a meeting with no idea about its purpose or agenda is like going to war without guns. It’s imperative that you study the agenda before the meeting and arm yourself with ideas, questions and suggestions. If there are topics on the agenda that you can contribute to, convey the same to the host in advance and request that they set aside a few minutes in the meeting for you to speak. And if public speaking gets the best of you, practice your speech before the meeting with a friend or a trusted colleague, and invite questions and suggestions. Remember, practice makes perfect.
2.Arrive early to a meeting.
Reach the meeting room 10-15 minutes ahead of time and start conversations with those who are already present. It’s astonishing how even experienced people shy away from contributing in meetings because they fear what others will think of them. Being assertive in your communication with attendees gets easier if you’ve already spoken to them and built a rapport before the meeting. And if small talk is not your thing, just pull out the agenda and ask for someone’s opinion.
3.Consider questions as contributions.
Questions spark curiosity, curiosity creates ideas, and ideas lead to innovation. So never hesitate to stand up in a meeting and ask your questions. But don’t ever use questions to draw attention towards you. If your question doesn’t have merit, you’re only wasting your and your entire team’s time—a crime too grave to commit when everyone is already pressed for time. Don’t have questions but want to contribute? Make your voice heard by answering questions or summarizing the meeting based on your understanding.
4.Make sure your ideas get the attention they deserve.
When you’ve finally won attention in the meeting, hold the floor until you’ve made your point. Sometimes, even though you’ve made an important contribution, another attendee might think that they’ve come up with an idea of a lifetime and your idea will get lost under their enthusiasm. To avoid this, right after you make your point, engage others in a conversation by asking them “Do you think we can work with this idea?”, or “How can we make this work for your team as well?” to make sure your idea gets the attention it deserves.
And if someone interrupts, politely tell them that you’d like to hear their opinion but have just two more points to make. After you’ve completed your dialogue, remember to ask the person what they were saying.
5.Respond in agreement or disagreement.
If you agree to a point, ensure you voice your agreement with facts or reasons for the same. And if you disagree, speak up and explain why. Never apologize for disagreeing with someone, instead be assertive in your communication without being disrespectful.
Avoid starting with phrases like “I’m sorry but I think...” or “I don’t want to interrupt, but…” and start with these:
● In my opinion, we have a better solution if we….
● I understand Sheetal’s point, but that could lead to…
● I see it differently because…
6.Ask yourself why you want to contribute.
You either have something important to say that will change the course of the meeting, or you’re worried that you’ll be at the receiving end of the “If you’re invited to a meeting, we expect you to speak up.” comment.
If your contribution is driven by the latter, begin by asking yourself why you care about your role, your organization and the project at hand. Answering these questions will help you develop a sense of connection to your work, so you can find new ways to contribute instead of just making your presence felt.
7.Leave your emotions at the door.
People complain that they get “shut off” or “spoken over” in meetings. The only way to get past this is to leave your emotions at the door before a meeting. If you’re being spoken over, or when your idea isn’t being accepted like you wish it to be, staying in a neutral emotional state will help you cope with the feedback. If you have an important point to make that was interrupted, stand up and assert it; if it wasn’t, let it pass. Remember, the point of the meeting is to find solutions to a problem, and not to hear you out.
Making yourself heard in meetings can be tricky, especially when you’re stuck in a workplace that doesn’t notice your contributions. Give these suggestions a go, practice ways to be more assertive in your communication, and you’ll soon find it easy to be heard in meetings!