Hybrid for happiness (because wellbeing matters, too)

(By Charlotte Alldritt, Senior Consultant at Volterra Consulting, and Hybrid Organisation expert panellist.)

Stress is now the second biggest workplace health risk

While the Chancellor has been preparing his strategy for economic growth, the Prime Minister has set the Office of National Statistics (ONS) perhaps an even a more difficult, nebulous task – devising a measure of our Gross National Happiness.

It has long been acknowledged that a happy workforce is a productive workforce, but stress is the second highest cause of work-related health problems in the EU (only back pain is higher). Between 2007 and 2008 13.5 million working days were lost to stress related absence. The effects can be serious, as stress is associated with anxiety, depression and higher mortality rates among certain groups. It also reduces productivity and is a cost to business.

The principles of Hybrid Organisation are based on empowering people to work in the way they can be most productive. It trusts them to be accountable for their outputs, not inputs; it gives them the flexibility to innovate, and the technologies do their jobs more effectively. Hybrid organisations build their working practices around their workforce, helping to reduce job-related stress and enhance employee well being by:

• Minimising unnecessary commuting, enabling employees to work where they choose – whether at home, the local library or in a space in the office where they might bump into colleagues to talk through a problem. Evidence shows that commuting has a fairly major impact on individuals’ wellbeing and stress levels. Organisations that are flexible in terms of location and schedules help to tackle this considerable factor of job-related stress.
• Supporting middle management to shoulder any additional pressures they might feel. Stress is often related to a feeling of lack of control – a senior business leader can often delegate tasks down the traditional hierarchy but the middle managers often have little choice in the nature and volume of their workload, reacting to demands from above and taking responsibility for junior staff below.
• Flexing traditional hierarchies so that all staff have opportunities to exercise autonomy and contribute innovative thoughts and ideas. This also makes people across the organisation feel valued, helping to build their positive sense of self-worth. The same stimulating, enjoyable pressures of the workplace can become a source of stress when people do not feel they have the resources they need to cope and be resilient.

Sustainable organisations need an adaptive, resilient and innovative workforce. Our Hybrid Organisation principles complement the mounting evidence that it’s not just the economy or short-term profitability that should concern our politicians and business leaders. Wellbeing matters, too.