The Question
Reading the article by McKinsey. They see that good health equals good business. Being engaged in good work has benefits for individuals, families and wider society. A workplace that provides ‘good work’ through positive and healthy interaction with employees creates a healthy workforce, which in turn promotes healthy business. However, André Spicer, a professor at Cass Business School at City University London, conducted a cultural and historical analysis of ideas about wellness in companies (which he published in a recent book, The Wellness Syndrome, co-authored by Stockholm University’s Carl Cederström). He concluded that corporate wellness programs not only provide low returns on investment but actually backfire, making many employees less healthy and more anxious about their jobs. Alternatively, McKinsey state that “employers are in a unique position to be a good influence on health and general well-being. After all, working people spend more of their waking time on the job than anywhere else”. James Rennie
In view of these perspective, what do you think has been the impact of COVID and working from home practices? Do businesses now need to consider a sense of community and social isolation as factors impacting productivity?
In your own words, explain the efforts to create ‘good working environments and if you believe this is the way to address wellness in today’s society. You may discuss relevance to specific industries or draw upon specific case studies. You are to draw a conclusion from your research and indicate if wellbeing programs really contribute to the success of organisations and have an impact upon society.
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