Necessary inspiration for sustainable development of companies

*By Flornesia Lafuente

“Happiness is wealth”, Linguist George Lakoff and philosopher Mark Johnson came to this conclusion in a joint study nearly a quarter century ago. But it was not until a few years ago that the concept of organizational wellness gained much importance in the business world. As organizations realize that lasting success
The focus has shifted to the well-being and happiness of its employees, not just limited to environmental or financial results.

today we also talk “Permanent Wellbeing”, a concept that is achieved when the improvement of individual welfare is correlated with the improvement of the welfare of other members of society and the natural environment. Greater happiness, greater productivity and efficiency
And let’s move on to the data. There is already extensive literature that supports the theory that well-being generates wealth and is key to the sustainability of companies.

Many studies have shown that employees who feel valued, supported, and satisfied in their work perform better. According to a report by the International Labor Organization (ILO), Well-being in the workplace increases employee productivity by 20%.

Well-being also contributes to reducing absenteeism and staff turnover. According to Gallup, Companies with high levels of employee engagement have 37% less absenteeism and 25% less employee turnover, An engaged and motivated workforce is essential for a long and healthy corporate life. However, the World Health Organization estimates that 12 billion working days are lost each year worldwide due to depression and anxiety, resulting in a loss of $1 billion per year in productivity.

Improve corporate reputation

Happy employees are the best business card for a company. Therefore, their well-being is fundamental to corporate reputation and social responsibility.
Organizations that care about the well-being of their employees demonstrate their commitment to ethical and human values.
This creates a positive image among consumers, investors and society in general.

An example is Google, which has invested heavily in wellness programs and offers a wide range of benefits and services to its employees. This has contributed to its reputation as an attractive employer and helped to retain talented professionals. The company offers free meals, creative breakout space, and professional development opportunities. Additionally, it has invested in renewable energy and worked to reduce its carbon footprint.

In a 2020 study, “Employee Happiness and Corporate Social Responsibility: The Role of Organizational Culture”It is also concluded “A greater effort in internal CSR by companies translates into higher levels of happiness for their employees. In particular, occupational health and safety practices have the greatest impact on people’s happiness.

Let’s look at other examples. Recently, Yvon Chouinard, owner of clothing manufacturer Patagonia, donated his company to the fight against climate change. To do this, he created a trust and a non-profit organization that would inherit the US$3 billion company.

There are also countless cases of companies that are not well known but have paved the way in their industries, such as the company Burt’s Bees. The company produces natural personal care products based on bee honey. Its strategy is 100% based on sustainability and the well-being of its employees.

Perhaps it is not necessary to list and research cases to understand why well-being and corporate sustainability go hand in hand. This is almost logical. When we work in an environment with purpose and a vision of the future, with the simple personal practice of observing ourselves, we can reach nearly the same conclusions as when we feel satisfied, valued, cared for, and free.

*She is a wellness coach based on positive psychology.