Stop Framing Wellness Programs Around Self-Care

Most workplace wellness programs focus on individual perks. But is this focus really working — particularly after the disconnect of the past two-plus years of the pandemic? The authors argue that self-care is no longer enough; instead, leaders should focus on team members taking care of each other. This requires a new approach to managing stress and conflict, framing adversity as a collective and implementing “relational pauses” to talk through difficult emotions related to work. By “struggling together,” employees will improve their well-being, persistence and resilience, communication and knowledge sharing, and coordination and systems thinking.