This blog focuses on the importance of mental fitness as a foundational element for successful workplace wellness programs. The guide argues that traditional wellness programs often fall short because they fail to address the underlying mindset of employees, and it proposes the Positive Intelligence IO (PQIO) Program as a solution to build mental fitness and improve overall wellbeing and performance.
Key Themes and Ideas:
The Crisis of Disengagement and Mental Health:The guide highlights a growing crisis of disengagement and declining mental health among workers, citing statistics on depression, burnout, and lost productivity. "Stress, burnout, anxiety, and depression are still on the rise."
The current level of change and stress is overwhelming for many individuals. As Shirzad Chamine states, "We are all experiencing too much change for the typical human being to be able to handle."
This crisis has significant economic consequences: "An estimated 12 billion working days are lost every year globally to depression and anxiety — at a cost of $1 trillion per year in lost productivity."
Wellness Investment vs. Results:Organizations are investing heavily in wellness programs, with spending up 22% in 2021 and continued investment planned. "Workplace wellness spending rose around 22% in 2021, with 92% of employers expanding efforts around mental health and emotional wellbeing."
However, the results are often disappointing due to a lack of employee engagement and buy-in. The guide suggests that "the best-laid wellness programs often fail because they’re missing one foundational piece: a culture of engaged employees ready to shift their mindset."
The Importance of Mental Fitness:Mental fitness is defined as "your capacity to respond to life’s challenges with a positive rather than a negative mindset."
It's based on neuroscience, specifically the interplay between the "Survive" (Saboteur-driven) and "Thrive" (Sage-driven) regions of the brain.
Mental fitness is not just about treating symptoms but rewiring the brain to favor positive responses. "Mental fitness, however, is about rewiring the brain at the root level rather than treating symptoms."
The guide stresses that mental fitness skills enhance and support other wellness initiatives.
Benefits of Mental Fitness:
Reduced Stress: Mental fitness provides tools for stress management, including mindfulness and problem-solving.
Improved Resilience: A positive mindset helps employees cope with challenges and setbacks.
Increased Productivity: Mental fitness helps employees stay focused, motivated, and engaged.
Positive Workplace Affiliations: Fosters a culture of wellbeing, open communication, and support.
Enhanced Employee Benefits: Demonstrates the organization's commitment to wellbeing.
The Five Sage Powers:The document introduces five critical skills to foster in workplace wellness:
Empathize: Showing compassion and building relationships.
Explore: Being curious and open to new ideas.
Innovate: Thinking creatively and breaking out of old habits.
Navigate: Aligning with a consistent organizational compass and finding purpose.
Activate: Focusing mental and emotional energies on action.
The Positive Intelligence (PQ) Program:
The PQ Program is presented as a customizable solution for building mental fitness within organizations.
It helps employees identify and quiet their "Saboteurs" (negative inner voices) and strengthen their "Sage" (positive, wise) powers.
The program involves daily practice, weekly video sessions, progress measurements, and community support.
The PQ Program can be implemented at individual, team, and organizational levels.
PQ can help with stress management, conflict resolution, relationships, EQ and resilience.
Integrating Mental Fitness into Wellness Programs:
The guide provides examples of how mental fitness skills can enhance various wellness programs, including mental and emotional health, physical health, work-life balance, financial wellness, professional wellness, organizational culture, and workplace safety.
For example, "ACTIVATE helps your team not only recognize these [physical wellness] as meaningful opportunities but also to participate in them."
Developing a Wellness Plan with PQIO: The guide includes a sample wellness plan outline integrating the PQ Program, with areas of focus, activities, and potential partners for each wellness category (e.g., physical health, mental & emotional health, financial wellness).
Comprehensive Wellness Assessment:The guide provides an assessment tool for organizations to evaluate their current state of wellness across key areas. This assessment helps identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.
Case Study: Fortune 100 Company:A case study illustrates how a Fortune 100 tech company successfully implemented the PQ Program, leading to increased employee engagement, improved relationships, enhanced emotional intelligence, and better stress management.
The company had high participation: "92% of registered people have actively participated in the PQ Program."
The program also showed impressive results in terms of engagement and improved relationships: "93% feel more engaged at work" and "97% say their work relationships have improved".
Quotes:
"We can experience true purpose and meaning if we foster a culture in which we all feel noticed, affirmed, and needed.” - Simon Sinek
"The ability to communicate through conflict is one of the most important human skills to foster in the workplace.” - Simon Sinek
“We are living in a profoundly challenging time. It’s understandable that people are disoriented and anxious. So, we need to normalize that. We need to just really acknowledge the fact that we are all experiencing too much change for the typical human being to be able to handle. And the reason that we need to invest in mental fitness is that it massively increases our capacity to handle change in a way that’s not stressful — but joyful.” - Shirzad Chamine, founder and CEO of Positive Intelligence®
Conclusion:
The "Comprehensive Guide to Wellness at Work" advocates for a paradigm shift in workplace wellness, emphasizing the critical role of mental fitness. The guide positions the PQ Program as a powerful tool for building mental fitness, improving employee engagement, and achieving a greater return on investment in wellness initiatives. By addressing the underlying mindset of employees, organizations can create a more resilient, productive, and fulfilling work environment.
What is mental fitness, and why is it important for workplace wellness?
Mental fitness is the capacity to respond to life's challenges with a positive mindset rather than a negative one. It's rooted in neuroscience and involves strengthening the "Thrive" region of the brain, which generates positive emotions like empathy and creativity, and quieting the "Survive" region, where negative emotions originate from internal "Saboteurs." Mental fitness is foundational to successful wellness programs because it helps employees become more open to change, trust the process, and engage with wellness resources effectively. Without it, even the best wellness programs may fail to deliver their full potential due to a lack of employee buy-in and engagement.
What are Saboteurs and Sage Powers, and how do they impact mental fitness?
Saboteurs are the negative voices in your head that trigger negative emotions such as self-doubt, anxiety, or anger when faced with challenges. Sage Powers, on the other hand, are positive mental muscles that generate positive emotions like empathy, creativity, and curiosity. Mental fitness involves weakening the influence of Saboteurs and strengthening Sage Powers. This is achieved through consistent mental exercises that rewire the brain to respond positively to challenges, ultimately improving performance, relationships, and overall wellbeing.
What are the five critical skills (Sage Powers) that mental fitness fosters in workplace wellness?
The five Sage Powers are:
Empathize: Feeling and showing compassion, appreciation, and forgiveness for yourself and others.
Explore: Approaching situations with curiosity, openness, and a sense of wonder.
Innovate: Breaking out of assumptions and habits to invent new possibilities.
Navigate: Using your internal compass to align with purpose and direction.
Activate: Focusing mental and emotional energy on action without Saboteur distractions.
These skills contribute to better communication, creative problem-solving, and a more supportive work environment.
How does the PQ (Positive Intelligence) Program help improve mental fitness?
The PQIO Program is a systematic approach to building mental fitness. It strengthens the Sage powers and weakens Saboteurs through daily practice, weekly video sessions, progress measurements, and community support. The program helps individuals incorporate mental fitness practices into their daily routines, leading to sustained improvements in performance, engagement, wellbeing, and relationships. It serves as a foundational element of a comprehensive wellness plan.
What types of wellness programs benefit from mental fitness skills, and how?
Mental fitness skills enhance the effectiveness of various wellness programs:
Mental & Emotional Health: Mental fitness allows employees to approach mental and emotional health with open minds and feel connected to others.
Physical Health: Mental fitness helps employees not only recognize these as meaningful opportunities but also to participate in them.
Work-Life Balance: Mental fitness enables employees to work together to create a more flexible plan that everyone benefits from and buys in to.
Financial Wellness: Mental fitness empowers employees to gain the confidence and self-mastery needed to explore financial wellness programs.
Professional Wellness: Mental fitness fosters understanding and connections, promotes a growth mindset, and cultivates creative problem-solving.
Organizational Culture: Mental fitness creates a sense of belonging and encourages continuous learning and improvement.
Workplace Safety: Mental fitness helps ensure adherence to safety measures and promotes a culture of looking out for one another.
What is the potential ROI of implementing wellness initiatives with a focus on mental fitness?
Successful wellness programs can lead to a 3-to-1 ROI through productivity gains, reduced absenteeism, fewer safety issues, and higher employee satisfaction. More than 80% of employees agree that how employers support mental health will be an important factor in future job searches, and wellness initiatives can also raise resilience overall. However, without mental fitness, wellness programs risk disengagement, leading to only partial returns on investment.
What are the key steps in developing a successful wellness plan that incorporates mental fitness?
Key steps include:
Comprehensive Wellness Assessment: Evaluate your organization's current state of wellness in areas like physical health, mental & emotional health, work-life balance, financial wellness, professional wellness, organizational culture, and workplace safety.
Define Objectives: Identify specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals for your wellness program.
Select Action Plan: Incorporate the PQIO Program or other mental fitness initiatives alongside existing wellness offerings.
Determine Eligibility, Costs, and Timeline: Clearly define who is eligible, the budget, and the schedule for implementation.
Establish Results Tracking: Use surveys, assessments, and metrics to monitor improvements in mental fitness and overall wellness.
Ensure Maintenance: Continuously evaluate and refine the program based on data and feedback.
How can organizations customize a wellness plan to meet their unique needs using the PQIO Program?
The PQIO Program offers customizable roadmaps tailored to specific organizational needs and wellness strategies, such as strengthening mental fitness for stress reduction or building high-performing teams. Organizations can choose the PQ-Powered Teams Roadmap or the Roadmap to Strengthen Mental Fitness and Stress Reduction. Customization involves assessing organizational needs, selecting relevant PQ Program modules, and integrating them with existing wellness offerings. Technology and data tracking tools are used to monitor progress and ensure ongoing success.
Comments