Due to how work is organised or just the working conditions, several factors may result in hampering your employees’ good health. Hence, the question arises - what are the possible ways to redesign work to support well-being and yield long-term benefits? During the People Matters Think Tank session, HR leaders including Shilpa Narang Jerath, Chief HR Officer, OPPO India, Pankaj Mittal, Senior Vice President, CHRO Asia Pacific, American Tower, Shobha Ratna, Head, HR and Training, Aditya Birla Sunlife Insurance Co, Nupur Nagpal, CHRO, Myntra and Simran Thapar, Associate Director HR, Carrier India, highlighted five factors significant for a positive and healthy employee experience. 

Instead of splitting your time 50/50 between work and leisure, Nupur Nagpal, who is CHRO at Myntra, recommends making sure you feel fulfilled and content for a sound mind and body. “Work has entered the homes of people and there's nothing called personnel anymore. So finding that space where one can have the flexibility to meet professional and personal goals is significant. Well-being is not any more investment, but it's a skill. If the skill is not invested in now, as an organisation, you will continue to have people, who you will keep leaving you,” said Nagpal.

While wellness is critical, Simran Thapar, the Associate Director HR of Carrier India, believes resilience brings the difference. “In the workplace, resilience improves employee satisfaction, morale, organisational commitment and productivity,” said Thapar.

For Pankaj Mittal, who is the Senior Vice President and CHRO Asia Pacific at American Tower, purpose and meaning are the most crucial factors for the success of a workplace. “What companies should do is get a sense of commitment or a sense of purpose for the employee. If the person believes that what he or she is going for is actually helping the larger group, they will become more resilient and will feel proud about their work,” shared Mittal.

Shilpa Narang Jerath, Chief HR Officer at OPPO India emphasised on the importance of self-care for leaders. “Leaders are also human beings. They have to take care of themselves first, which means managing their own well-being to form a resilient team. The truth is that if you don't invest time and energy into self-care and don't follow any well-being tips, you won't be able to do your best work or achieve your goals,” explained Jerath.

Shobha Ratna, Head, HR and Training at Aditya Birla Sunlife Insurance, is a firm believer that though return on investment (ROI)  is a logical metric, it may not be feasible with respect to the wellness of employees. “In recent years, demand for employer-sponsored wellness programs has grown. But, leaders need to stop asking for ROI, because the well-being and satisfaction of the employees you will only see over a period of time. In fact, asking for ROIs just increase pressure and makes the leaders do the wrong thing,” said Ratna.