Wellness Must Become Cultural

We have all been first hand witnesses to widespread systemic change. Disruption, isolation, pivots, rethinking of logistics, and other changes that reach down to a very personal level. While these systemic changes affect us personally, a sure bulwark against such stresses is found in creating a wellness based culture that permeates a group or organization. Wellness is no longer about just nutrition and exercise. Wellness should now encompasses the entire culture of an organization. A complete framework of wellbeing must evolve from the specifics of diet, nutrition and mental health to a comprehensive cultural approach.

Social and psychological stress are prominent issues in our current environment. Being human, we are naturally social creatures for the most part. We find meaning and fulfillment in mutual interaction. The Covid environment has muted that sociality and thrown a fair amount of uncertainty into our jobs and lives. The constant messaging and reinforcement of cultural norms and touchpoints can be reassuring reminders of what is important in the individual and group.

Reinforcing cultural norms can be boiled down to specific reminders of “how we do things”, “why certain values or actions are significant” and most importantly “why our group members are valued”. These specifics are critical reminders on a daily basis to the expectations of effort and success. In short, the reinforcement of group culture is one of the most important development tools for organizational success.

Combining the tools of organizational culture with a foundation of wellness values, viewing culture through a lens of wellness fundamentals, supercharges the efficacy of cultural messaging. Wellness adds a level of compassion and drives other aspects of culture from a position of caring and concern. A focus on the basics of individual wellness is felt more acutely in broader cultural initiatives. In a Covid fractured world, this is a tremendous benefit, both to business leaders and concerned employees.

Zemi wellness is a company that understands these dynamics and can create value in combining corporate culture and wellness. Check us out at www.zemiwell.com