The changing circumstances organisations find themselves in is challenging the way CEOs lead their organisations. One of the key shifts has been a more holistic view of the people who make up the workforce. This includes looking beyond outputs but also the health of the people, which moves beyond the basic requirement to keep people safe from harm, but to also consider their mental health, and now to also promote wellness.
A report released last month by Deloitte Insights (Read it Here) discusses this, and notes that CEOs frequently underestimate the impact they have leaders have on the health of their people, not just through their actions, but also through their personal example. The report challenges CEOs to take health and wellness much more seriously and to invest more intentionally in their workforces – and themselves.
The authors note there are six key concepts the health-savvy CEO can recognize and integrate into their lives and practice. As a sample of these concepts the report states that:
- Matters of health drive organizational
culture, trust and brand. That is, “[e]ach decision an organization
makes to address (or overlook) the health of its stakeholders affects its culture
– and how, in turn, that organization is perceived by customers, investors, and
the general public.” And it adds a further warning – people are watching.
- Health is all about the drivers of health. That is, there are a number of factors that impact health, and they are not all workplace and work related. Working from home has meant health-savvy CEOs are stepping up and not just considering the conditions in which people work, but also the influence of the conditions in which people live. The boundaries are now blurred.
While there are four other concepts well worth reading, the article also outlines a series of activities for CEOs to consider, with ideas on how to actually make them a reality. The actions are groups around the following areas:
- Define your personal ambition around health.
- Design your personal learning strategy.
- Leverage your organisations understanding of workforce drivers of health.
- Take a systematic approach.
The benefits of being a heath-savvy CEO are tangible and evident. Investing in health and wellness now sees not lonely long-lasting benefits, but puts your organisation at a competitive advantage.