HR Bulletin Volume 135

Period care is healthcare: How can we design more inclusive wellness programs for a period-friendly workplace?

Organisations today have to step up when building an equitable and inclusive workplace One area that calls for urgent attention and action is menstrual health

Employee wellness continues to reign as a critical indicator in designing the right employee experience However, there remains a gap between policy implementation and its impact This can be attributed to the challenges of meeting the needs of a diverse workforce But at the heart of successful wellness programs lies inclusivity Its avenues need to be expanded to take into consideration the different facets of health, and one area that tends to be often overlooked is menstrual health. While the introduction of menstrual leave is one vital step in the direction of empowering all communities at the workplace who menstruate, this isn’t enough.

Many employees menstruate at work, so a period-friendly workplace calls for initiatives beyond period leaves Period health has a direct impact on the well-being of your people. And this trickles down to their productivity and their engagement at the workplace. In addition, with the new-age workforce placing great emphasis on the work culture, flexibility and purpose, inclusivity and equity must take the spotlight.

Gaps in building a period-friendly workplace

While menstrual health at the workplace has become a rising topic of conversation, the taboos haven’t dissipated completely. Even period leaves are often at the risk of discriminating against people who menstruate if not implemented with greater sensitivity One of the first things organisations need to do is step up and recognise that everyone menstruates differently, and their period health differs Furthermore, besides the worries around constant leakage and period pain, some also suffer menstrual-related conditions like endometriosis, adenomyosis, fibroids, premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and perimenopause, among others, which adds to the stress, hindering their overall employee engagement

Secondly, based on this knowledge gap at the workplace, they must recognise how it translates to infrastructure and policy gaps. For example, wellness programs might still need to be inclusive of period health, and the lack of something as basic as proper washrooms with period-care products can hamper their daily routines. It is essential that a workplace actively and genuinely cares about menstrual health and pays attention to their needs.

What are the strategies to build a workplace that reinforces period care?

Having recognised the negative impact of knowledge, infrastructure and policy gaps when it comes to period health, organisations need to invest in policies that address them at the workplace urgently. This is where Sirona comes in, as a partner that can empower you to build a period-friendly workplace by offering a complete and comprehensive ecosystem of products and services that address menstrual health concerns Some of the ways in which they help reinforce period care at the workplace are as follows:

Empowering a culture of conversations around menstrual health:

Given that periods in many ways remain a taboo topic at the workplace with limited knowledge, Sirona offers webinars where their medical experts talk about sustainable menstruation and create awareness about the menstrual cycle and health. They also come with India’s first WhatsApp period tracker that enables employees who menstruate to keep a tab on their cycle.

Offering comprehensive health insurance and period leaves: Several companies are yet to implement period leaves, but it is one whose roll-out needs to be strategic, sensitive and emphasise equity. Moreover, health insurance coverage and wellness policies need to include menstrual health concerns as well, especially since they require medication, painkillers, and specialist consultants, which can get quite expensive

Improving office infrastructure by offering more period care facilities: Providing period care products with proper washroom facilities is a must-have for a period-friendly workplace These include but are not limited to pads, tampons, painkillers, herbal teas, hot water bottles and proper sanitary bins With Sirona, you get access to a range of period care products offered through vending machines and pad/tampon dispensers for the comfort and convenience of your employees.

Corporate wellness initiatives must become more inclusive of all segments of the workforce, and addressing menstrual health concerns is a critical part of the process. If you want to build an equitable workplace and be an employer that genuinely cares for their employees, period care has to be equated to healthcare and can no longer take a backseat. It not only directly impacts the productivity and engagement of your employees but also reinforces the value of care from an inclusivity lens. If you’re looking to build an equitable and period-friendly workplace, Sirona is the partner for you

The potential menstrual hygiene management barriers faced by adolescent girls and women in workplace environments in low- and middle-income countries has been under addressed in research, programming and policy Despite global efforts to reduce poverty among women in such contexts, there has been insufficient attention to the water and sanitation related barriers, specifically in relation to managing monthly menstruation, that may hinder girls’ and women’s contributions to the workplace, and their health and wellbeing There is an urgent need to

Read more at : https://www.peoplematters.in/article/wellness/period-care-ishealthcare-how-can-we-design-more-inclusive-wellness-programs-for-a-periodfriendly-workplace-36893

Changing work environment leads to a surge in skilling: Skillsoft

The findings of the Skillsoft report highlight that generational shifts, technological transformation, and an increasingly complex global economy have put a premium on leadership skills

Astudy, which shows increases in learning consumption across Skillsoft portfolio; highlights in-demand skills and top trends shaping the future of work. The ever-evolving workplace culture and nature of the work have led to a surge in skilling. There has been a 37% year-over-year (YoY) increase in total time spent upskilling by learners. The findings of the Skillsoft report highlight that generational shifts, technological transformation, and an increasingly complex global economy have put a premium on leadership. "Employees want more enriching and rewarding careers, while organisations want a sustainable, future-fit workforce. A social compact has emerged, creating a skilling revolution underpinned by learning,” said Jeffrey R. Tarr, Chief Executive Officer, Skillsoft. The report shows a 32% YoY increase in time spent by learners upskilling their leadership, business, and power skills Written communication, unconscious bias, virtual work in the new normal, working remotely, and communication essentials are the top five skill areas of interest that reflect learners’ desire and need to adapt to the evolving, hybrid workplace The findings of the report also reveal that Skillsoft’s First Time Manager and Leadership Development Core Aspire Journeys are seeing the largest overall number of completions as organisations and learners prioritise leadership capabilities within a work environment that has been fundamentally transformed since the pandemic Technical modernisation is the practical reality

The rapid evolution of technology is driving economic growth, innovation, and development, and investing in relevant skills is essential for talent and organisations to stay competitive in this fast-moving digital area. As a result, Skillsoft’s report notes a 39% YoY increase in time spent by learners expanding their technical

Read more at: https://www.peoplematters.in/news/skilling/changing-workenvironment-leads-to-a-surge-in-skilling-skillsoft-36922

5 trends defining the hybrid work in 2023 and beyond

Gen Z and Millennials show a strong preference for using physical office spaces to learn, grow, and foster connections within their workplace community

Three years into the pandemic, businesses are dealing with a multitude of crises and are trying to remain productive and profitable Hybrid work practices remain complex and both business leaders and employees are grappling to understand how to adjust business practices to meet the needs of employees

‘The Workplace of the Future' report published by the EPOS, global audio and video brand, in partnership with Foresight Factory, has found the current and emerging trends shaping the future of work, as well as the technology solutions that can help businesses to navigate a long-term hybrid strategy for a productive workforce Here are the key findings of the report:

Employees are prioritising their well-being: Workers everywhere are taking agency of their well-being, both physical and mental, and over half of the workers around the world (53%) say they are more likely to prioritise their well-being compared with life before the pandemic. As a result, workers increasingly expect their employers to form part of their health ecosystems with 38% of employees calling for their employers to support staff by allowing them time off for mental health needs. A further 30% of employees say they want to see businesses dedicating hours for employees to use for mental/physical well-being pursuits Avoiding burnout and pursuing happiness are top drivers: Employee burnout is a persistent issue and 36% of global workers say they have suffered burnout in the last 12 months from ‘working too hard’, a feeling that is greatest among Gen Z (40%) followed by Millennials (42%) Less than half of workers are happy with their current work and life balance (43%), and almost a third (30%) say they intend to change careers to improve their overall happiness

Read more at: https://www.peoplematters.in/news/employeeengagement/these-current-and-emerging-trends-shaping-the-hybrid-work-in-

2023-36926

How to create psychological safety in the workplace?

The major reasons for employees feeling psychologically unsafe at work include mental health issues, unaddressed/unsatisfactorily addressed grievances and fear of losing their anonymity while providing feedback, reveals new report by Indeed.

As many as 45 percent of employers believe that psychological safety is a strong performance indicator and 47 percent say it is a crucial need since it leads to higher employee retention and engagement, reveals new report by global job site Indeed. Psychological safety refers to employees believing that they can take risks without being shamed by other members

The major reasons for employees feeling psychologically unsafe at work include mental health issues (47percent), unaddressed/unsatisfactorily addressed grievances (43percent) and fear of losing their anonymity while providing feedback (28percent), says the report on Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (DI&B) at Indian Workplaces, which examines the need for psychological safety in Indian organisations

Impact of psychologically unsafe workplaces

Employees facing fear due to various reasons could adversely affect psychological safety. Fear of burnout (34 percent) and fear of failure (25 percent) are dominant among employees in psychologically unsafe workplaces. Biases also play a role in determining psychological safety at work. The most common biases employees face are gender and sexual orientation (59 percent), their religion, caste and ethnicity (32 percent), their physical, mental, and emotional disabilities (18 percent), and the language they speak (18 percent). In order to create a psychologically safe environment, 45 percent of employees express that being their authentic selves at work, expressing ideas, opinions…

Read more at: https://www.peoplematters.in/article/employee-relations/why-ispsychological-safety-crucial-for-india-inc-in-2023-heres-how-to-create-it-36912

Effective reskilling, talent diversity and digital tool automation can drive $1 4 trillion of revenue and $282 billion in profit, reveals Infosys study

Up to $1 4 trillion in revenue and $282 billion in new profit could be generated through digital tools automation, diversifying talent pool, and improving skills development amongst employees, reveals new Infosys report. The global research report titled ‘Future of Work 2023’highlights how the workplace of the 21st century will see more hybrid working and digital engagement, enabling firms to build more diverse and creative teams. According to the report shifting to a flexible, diverse, and digital work model is correlated with 7.7 percentage points higher profit growth and 6.7 percentage points higher revenue growth. Retention of employees is critical. Companies that increased their staff retention between 2020 and 2022 were almost a fifth more likely to see increased revenue and profit compared with those that saw retention fall during this period Almost two-thirds of senior executives practice remote working rather than in-office working and expect flexible or remote workspaces to grow in the future 65% of senior executives concurred that incorporating remote working resulted in better staff retention Companies that incorporated wellness initiatives, home office stipends, and reskilling programmes saw an increase in staff retention Modernisation and automation of digital tools, compensation rise, and bring-your-own-device strategies were also impactful on retention Automation and modernisation of digital tools are set to become the top investment priority for firms in the next two years and expected to bring in up to $123 billion in profit. Successful businesses of the future are likely to focus less on the employees’ work location and more on the mix of people who are working and how well they are supported. Respondents cited collaboration, change management, and a constant evolution of future of work approaches as the top challenges faced by companies in implementing workplace transformation strategies…

Read more at: https://www.peoplematters.in/news/skilling/three-strategiesthat-can-drive-282-billion-profit-36895

Three strategies that can drive $282 billion profit