Here’s what we learnt from taking a long break
Here we are, at the end of an extended break, raring to get going again. We took this time to go back to the drawing board and figure out what we, as people leaders, would want, need, and hope for from a community that cares about bringing wellbeing into the workplace. What came up is a host of exciting programmes and content for you this year, so stay tuned for the many good things to come.
In the meanwhile, our longer-than-usual hiatus has taught us a few things that we’re eager to share with you in this edition of ‘Thrive in 5’:
Where are we now?
One of the things we learned last year is that work-life balance is no longer just about compartmentalising between the two—it's about strengthening the relationship between work and life so that they harmoniously integrate in a way that mutually nurtures and gives meaning to one another.
Another shift the world noticed in 2022 but which perhaps started earlier, is that power has - rightfully - been shifting from organisations to people. When people are unhappy in their jobs, they don’t stick around but are willing to leave even without having another offer in hand.
Also, by 2040, Asia is expected to contribute to 50% of the world’s GDP, so the future will be shaped by where and how young Asians live, learn and earn, and how they will prioritise their mental health and wellbeing.
Through our own experience, we realised that taking some time to slow down gives leaders the mental space to commit to strategic thinking. This helps them decide which path to take so they can focus their own and employees’ efforts towards business priorities.
What can you do?
Organisations that want to thrive need to respond to the changing dynamic. 2023 is the year that companies will need to take deliberate steps to shape a sustainable, longer term approach to how they manage their organisation.
The new social order means an increased need to design and prepare for constantly changing work conditions—for example, continuous reskilling. Opportunities to reskill should be an integral part of employees’ performance and development plans.
To harbour true employee engagement—a must for employee retention— companies need to emphasise a workplace that is diverse and inclusive, where everyone feels safe, heard, and represented in all their interactions.
What’s next?
At Thrive, we achieved a lot in 2022, but we also realised that reflecting on the year gone by was important because it’s helped us identify the challenges and solutions we encountered along the way.
Taking time off is not about a week or a month, but rather about devoting the mental energy for clear-headed thinking. Leaders who are looking at the long-term must be able to pause, take stock and reassess the way forward.
With so much going on all the time, we may feel stretched thin and lose sight of what is essential to keep the business moving forward. But it’s also important to enjoy each moment and bask in the present as we navigate 2023.
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