Are You Thriving or Struggling at Work and in Life?

While we continue to come to terms with the effects of the first global pandemic in a century, this question remains: “Are we struggling or thriving?”

Forging ahead, we carry the lessons the last few years have taught us: resilience, endurance, patience, and compassion. Many of us are taking time for introspection, too, figuring out if we are happy in our lives and careers. If not, many of us are reconsidering our current jobs.

Workplace Engagement and Personal Well-Being

A key component to a successful life is happiness at work, a good job with challenging and engaging duties. Career satisfaction impacts our well-being—people who are comfortable in their careers are more than twice as likely to have thriving lives.

Sadly, many people are struggling and suffering—up to 70 percent of us, according to Gallup’s global survey. As such, the time has come for organizations to rethink how they can help their staffs thrive.

How to Build Organizations Where People are Thriving

Below are four steps that will help clarify how all employees—regardless of function, title, or tenure—can attain success in the workforce and thrive in their jobs.

Ensure Everyone in the Organization Knows Their Strengths

Helping employees recognize and develop their strengths leads them to feelings of confidence, competence, and proficiency. Simple tools on the market (low-cost or no-cost) help employees identify their natural talents and teach them how to utilize those tools to succeed.

Building on a person’s strengths is more effective than honing their weak areas. Using and enhancing inherent talents is extremely gratifying, making people feel good about themselves and their work. Organizations and managers who develop employee strengths empower their people to be more productive and engaged. Strengthening an employee’s innate qualities reinforces the person and the organization.

Terminate Abusive Managers

Almost everybody has the potential to learn, grow and develop empathy and understanding. Through education, training, and coaching, it has been proven that most people can change their behavior. However, the sad truth remains that certain people with authoritarian personalities will not change, no matter how hard upper management tries to change them. They are the antithesis to the caring, people-centric culture most organizations advocate and work to nurture.

It is crucial to recognize that these leaders and managers put your business at a higher risk, legally, financially, and emotionally. Not only do they drive employees away, but their toxic behavior also causes stress and anxiety among those remaining. So, if they cannot change and adapt, it serves your business better if they are removed from the organization.

Develop Your Managers Skills

Managers also need training and development opportunities. Implementing performance management software like Lattice to help measure training and coaching will greatly benefit your organization. With this software, you can measure your team’s engagement, understand their performance, and pinpoint areas of opportunity. You can then hold one-on-one sessions for goal setting and feedback to help managers become better leaders and take on added responsibilities.

All staff members and the organization will benefit from the shift towards a coaching culture. Managers who move effectively from boss to coach foster their own personal growth as well as the growth of their people. They do so by realizing potential, identifying, and developing unique talents, becoming aware of new possibilities, and driving abilities to the next level.

Empower Your Team with Self-Awareness

Well-being should always be a part of career development. In today’s business environment, encouraging and supporting healthy lives is vital to career development at all organizational levels. It is necessary to demonstrate to employees organization-wide that you respect, trust, and value them.

Implementing effective well-being programs allows workplaces to enjoy the benefits of a healthy, active workforce. Employees will feel valued and appreciated, and their morale and upswing in their productivity will improve their lives and life satisfaction. Well-being initiatives must constitute one of the pillars of workplace career development practices.

The steps outlined above may sound daunting. In some cases, a significant amount of organizational effort and commitment will be needed. But it’s exciting as managers and teams dream big together and move ahead with unity and purpose as they build a future and a business culture where everyone thrives.

Contact our team at ALIGN for guidance on how to coach your team to greatness.