During the COVID-19 pandemic, people spent a lot of time isolated and indoors, which helped foster an environment where some people now feel lonelier than ever. The result is a loss of social connectedness—the degree to which people feel the social connections and relationships in their lives to satisfy their wants and needs. When social…
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Why Executive Well-Being Positions Matter
As the way we work changes, so do the positions that support these changes. That should be the natural evolution of things for businesses that are focused on retaining top talent and establishing a long-lasting culture as an employer of choice. According to LinkedIn data, there has been a 13% growth in existing job titles that reference culture or well-being since 2019.
An executive-level (C-Suite) position such as a Chief Well-Being Officer (CWBO) role can be described as a business partner within your organization that has a unique set of skills to strategically elevate employee well-being as a means of improving workplace wellness and business outcomes.
Historically a CWBO position was reserved for the healthcare industry or limited to combatting issues of burnout for clinicians and physicians. As well-being is becoming a higher priority across industries this role is raising attention for companies and organizations looking to stand out as an employer of choice.
There is a myriad of reasons why a CWBO position could help you improve upon the way you currently serve employees and prepare for the continued evolution of work. A CWBO can:
- Fill the Gaps in Workplace Strategies — A CWBO position can fill the gap in business strategies by better aligning business strategies with people strategies.
- Increase Awareness and Adoption of Workplace Wellness Practices and Culture — A CWBO position can unburden wellness committees and individuals from carrying the load of promoting well-being programming and elevate it to the highest level as a fundamental business priority.
- Dedicate Themselves to the Evolving Needs of Employees — As the needs of the employees evolve, a CWBO can gather data and integrate it into policies, practices, and initiatives at all levels of the business to manage job satisfaction amidst changing needs and concerns.
- Unlock Leadership Commitment at All Levels — When there is a seat at the executive table specifically designated for focusing on the well-being of the employees, deeper commitment and trust can be created among all executives and then trickle down to all levels of an organization.
- Create an Integrated Approach to Well-Being — Well-Being programming has historically been siloed into a “nice to have” perk, or something to list in a benefits pamphlet, but more organizations are moving toward integrating well-being into every aspect of the way they operate. A CWBO can lead that charge and ensure its sustainability.
- Place Greater Focus on Workplace Culture — Organizations like to think that the business owners determine the culture by declaring it, but that’s just not the case. The people determine the culture. Positioning an innovative, influential, and collaborative CWBO at the C-Suite can make a significantly positive impact on your overall culture transformation efforts.
- Focus on Measuring, Maintaining, and Iterating the Well-Being Strategy — A well-being strategy is not something you can get out of the box. It has to be developed and implemented from the inside out in order to best serve a company and its employees. A CWBO can do just that and adapt year after year as the needs of both the organization and its employees change.
We’ve developed a step-by-step toolkit to help guide you through the information needed to effectively assess and present the business case for introducing a Chief Well-Being Officer (CWBO) role in your organization.
- The toolkit will first help you assess the current state of the organization and determine if you’re ready to place a CWBO in leadership.
- From there you’ll learn about the key value propositions for the position to prepare for presenting your case.
- You’ll then walk through a planning template and sample job profile to prepare for meeting with your leadership team to present your case.
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