Latest news with #workplaceWellbeing
Fast Company
01-07-2025
- Health
- Fast Company
The 9–5 schedule might be hurting your team's performance
As a manager, you're constantly navigating the many individual differences within your team that affect performance. Some people are more analytical, others more creative. Some thrive in structured environments, while others excel when given more autonomy. But one area that dramatically impacts performance that isn't talked about enough is chronotype—the natural biological rhythm of an individual that determines when they feel most alert, focused, and productive throughout the day. People have different chronotypes—some are more focused in the morning, while others do their best work later in the day (researchers have mapped more than 80 genes that regulate circadian rhythms). But many workplaces still stick to a 9-to-5 schedule that doesn't fit everyone. According to recent research, this circadian misalignment can lead to decreased productivity, increased stress, and even health problems. Workers who don't fit the norm may face challenges in the workplace—yet it's imperative for organizations to tap into their full contributions. As a researcher studying work-life balance and applied chronobiology, I've discovered how chronoinclusive work cultures can improve both performance and well-being. In my work with multiple Fortune 500 companies in 17 countries, I've discovered three key ways that leaders can introduce the conversation around circadian rhythms and chronobiology, and ensure they're positively—not negatively—impacting your team's performance. 1. Challenge stereotypes about late risers In our culture, we venerate early risers—from Benjamin Franklin's 'early to bed and early to rise' to bestselling books like The 5AM Club (which has sold over 15 million copies worldwide). We think they're the serious, industrious workers. And yet: There are more late chronotypes than early chronotypes in the population. According to research, only about 30% of people are 'early chronotypes,' while the remainder are either night owls (40%) or fall somewhere in between (30%). That means a significant portion of your team may be biologically wired to perform better later in the day—and may be disadvantaged by the early start. This early riser bias equates early arrival with traits like conscientiousness, motivation, and reliability. As a manager, it's important to notice these common stereotypes—and take steps to challenge them. You might ask yourself: 'Have I inadvertently favored early starters on my team, perhaps through access to me or when important decisions are made? Does our organization equate prompt morning attendance with being 'leadership material'? Am I less patient with team members who message me in the afternoon or evening? 2. Map chronotypes in your team Teams can improve both performance and well-being by learning when each person works best. Understanding these differences can help you plan smarter and lead more effectively. You can use a validated tool like the Morningness–Eveningness Questionnaire (a 19-question self-assessment). Or, you can simply ask team members a few basic questions: If you had no meetings or responsibilities, when would you naturally start your day? When would you go to bed if you could set your own schedule? What time of day do you usually feel most focused and productive? Once you know more about your team's chronotypes, you can use this information to: Assign deep-focus tasks when each person has the most energy. Schedule collaboration during times when energy levels overlap. For example, my client Julia, the head of HR at a media organization, is a strong morning type. She wakes up naturally at 4 a.m., does her most focused work in the early hours, and starts winding down by early evening. In contrast, David, a leader in a legal association, is a late chronotype. He finds early mornings exhausting and prefers quiet, flexible starts. His peak performance happens in the afternoon and evening, when he's most alert and focused. By recognizing and working with these patterns—not against them—teams can become both more productive and more balanced. 3. Foster chronoinclusive work cultures Many workplaces are unintentionally designed around early risers, who often claim prime resources. If you want to support both early risers and late chronotypes—and unlock greater performance across your team: Offer flexible start times and meeting hours: Allow team members to begin their workday in alignment with their natural energy peaks. This supports better focus, fewer mistakes, and improved well-being for both morning and evening types. When teams include a mix of early birds and night owls, the best meeting time is often between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.—a middle zone where most chronotypes have relatively good energy and focus. Ensure fair access to workplace resources: Be mindful that early arrivals often get first access to perks like premium desks, food options, or parking spaces. Design systems that don't unintentionally reward one chronotype over another. For example, assign desks and parking spaces, and make sure food prep and service hours match peak demand times. Lead by example: Share how you plan your own day based on when you're most alert—and make it okay for others to do the same. A culture of openness starts with you. Chronotype is a critical, yet often overlooked factor in how teams perform. By recognizing biological differences in how and when people work best—and making room for that diversity—leaders can reduce hidden bias, unlock untapped potential, and build more productive and inclusive teams.
Forbes
01-07-2025
- Health
- Forbes
How To Banish Burnout With Intention This Summer
Stave off burnout by making time for meaningful connections. With a reported 66% percent of workers experiencing burnout, summer is a prime time to hit reset by taking advantage of vacation days, long weekends, summer Fridays and flex days. But to truly get the most out of this time, it helps to plan ahead so that recharging can happen with intent. This is especially important for women and professionals of color, groups that are disproportionately impacted by the effects of burnout due to systemic stressors, including persistent pay disparities and the reduction in lifetime earnings and retirement income due to unpaid caregiving. 'We're often navigating more than just our job descriptions,' says burnout coach and workplace well-being strategist Ashley Burton-Mims, founder and CEO of Emerald & Rose Consulting in Detroit. In addition to identifying as a Black entrepreneur, Burton-Mims is a working mom who can relate to the overlapping demands that contribute to burnout for women of color, including the emotional tax of microaggressions and feeling pressure to outperform in order to belong. 'This constant state of hypervigilance and overfunctioning fast-tracks us to burnout,' she says. And it's not just the person experiencing burnout who suffers; colleagues, direct reports, and managers can all be impacted when a co-worker attempts to power through exhaustion and fatigue, sacrificing both their well-being and their work quality. This can also feed into feelings of frustration and resentment, says Minneapolis-based burnout coach Rochelle Younan-Montgomery, founder and CEO of the consulting firm The Reset. Younan-Montgomery recalls going through burnout herself and being short in emails. 'I was spicy in meetings.' she says. 'I knew something had to give.' Taking two days off provided some much-needed breathing room. Day one consisted of lying in a hammock, hanging out with her dog, spending time with her two young daughters and letting herself 'be human again.' By day two, Younan-Montgomery was ready to journal for deeper reflection. 'Everything poured out,' she says. 'I realized that my frustration wasn't random—it was connected with a misalignment with my values.' Being grounded by this understanding helped Younan-Montgomery communicate more effectively upon her return. 'I was clear, kind, calm and thorough. And it worked,' she says. This led to her recognizing another important breakthrough: 'I'm allowed to pause, reflect and choose differently.' Rest Is A Responsibility 'Self-care isn't selfish—it's strategic,' asserts Burton-Mims. And it's deeper than bubble baths and luxury retreats, she says, citing boundary setting and being in tune with your body so that you can seek out rest before becoming depleted. 'When we prioritize ourselves, we're not abandoning others—we're refusing to abandon ourselves.' Here are a few ways to do just that: 'In a world where we're so focused on productivity, that human connection part gets lost,' says Tina Roth Eisenberg, the New York City-based founder and CEO of CreativeMornings. The Swiss-born serial entrepreneur says experiencing burnout at a young age allowed her to appreciate the value of honoring rest as a practice for cultivating leadership. 'Leaders who are deeply connected to themselves are way more empathetic and clear and courageous, because they're so solid in themselves,' she says.
Forbes
23-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
How To Cope With The Daily Distraction Deluge
New Microsoft data reveals a seemingly infinite work day, as well as interruptions every two ... More minutes. An interruption every two minutes, a deluge of 270 daily messages and emails, and the most valuable and productive hours of the day lost to mostly impromptu meetings. That's the state of workplaces today according to new data from Microsoft. It also shows that half of meetings take place during hours coinciding with natural productivity spikes driven by our circadian rhythms, when we should be focused on creative, deep work instead of, presumably, talking about it. Dr Tracy King, a clinical psychologist who consults with businesses on workplace wellbeing, and regularly conducts workplace needs assessments for employees, says she sees the hidden cost of constant digital disruption every day. 'It's not just about lost time, it's about lost self-trust, increased overwhelm, and a nervous system that never gets to fully settle,' she says. 'People describe a sense of being 'pulled out of themselves' before they can even complete a thought.' Over time, says King, this creates a fragmentation of focus, a depletion of emotional resources, and a disconnection from purpose. For neurodivergent employees, or those recovering from trauma or burnout, this can be especially destabilizing. Being interrupted every couple of minutes isn't just frustrating, it is deeply exhausting because it triggers micro stress responses that can lead to anxiety, burnout, and a lingering sense of underachievement, even after a busy day, says business coach Jo Irving. She adds: 'The real cost is not just lost minutes, it is lost momentum. When you never get to finish a thought, your work becomes shallow and your confidence can quietly suffer.' It's little wonder that, in a survey, 48% of employees and 52% of leaders described their work as feeling chaotic and fragmented. Also concerning is how work is creeping into supposed downtime. The data points to a steady rise in after-hours activity with chats sent outside the standard nine to five workday up 15% year on year, meetings after 8PM up 16%–driven by global and flexible teams–and more employees checking their inboxes late into the evenings. The tech maker concludes this points to a larger truth: that the modern workday for many has no clear start or finish. Those who've tried muting notifications and practising time management methods with good intentions will know they don't always go far enough and may be unsustainable, depending on culture and team dynamics. Instead, King wants more people to understand what constant interruptions do to their biology and learn how to re-regulate after disruptions rather than try to avoid them. She explains: 'Focus is a nervous system state, not just a mindset. Cortisol is your body's primary stress hormone. When you're constantly interrupted, your brain perceives this as a mild but continuous threat and cortisol levels rise.' The toll can be wide-reaching. 'If employees are constantly in fight-or-flight triggered by endless pings, unrealistic demands, or pressure to multitask, they can't engage socially. Team connection breaks down. People become irritable, withdrawn, or hyper-independent. Morale drops, then motivation, and finally, productivity and retention,' warns King. Over time, elevated cortisol impacts cognitive function by disrupting memory formation, reducing attention span, slowing decision making and inhibiting flexible thinking and empathy. 'You may still get things done, but you're doing them reactively, not reflectively,' she adds. While the effect on individuals can be huge, there's also knock-on effects to the business to consider. Dan Franklin, chief strategy officer at investment company Handl Group says: 'For leadership teams especially, it's not just about the minutes lost, but the impact on the kind of deep thinking time needed for quality decision-making and long-term strategy. If leaders are constantly in triage mode, then their big picture judgment suffers, which ultimately affects the business.' So what can be done? Franklin suggests business culture needs to change to allow time for uninterrupted focus. 'It could mean redesigning the working week to allow specific blocks of time to be allocated for deeper, strategic work. Or having a clear method for employees to indicate in calendars and internal communication systems that they are unavailable for a set amount of time,' he says. King recommends a simple one-minute self-regulation exercise. Every 90 minutes, take 60 seconds to stand or sit near a window or open space, gaze softly at the furthest point you can see—the horizon, a tree line, rooftops–let your eyes relax, and breathe slowly, ideally through your nose. 'This shifts your visual system out of tunnel vision–a stress response–and activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which restores calm and focus. It tells your brain, 'I'm safe, I can slow down.' Regulated people are more productive people, not because they're doing more, but because they're doing it with clarity, calm, and connection.' Irving suggests exploring practical methods such as time blocking focused work sessions and clearly communicating availability to colleagues, single tasking instead of multitasking and building in mindful transitions between meetings to breathe, stretch, or reset attention. She explains: 'Productivity is not about pushing harder. It is about working with intention. When energy is protected, work feels less overwhelming and more purposeful and performance naturally improves.'
Fast Company
23-06-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
Employee support shouldn't start at the breaking point
Burnout has become an escalating crisis in the modern workplace. As many as 57% of workers experience the negative impacts of work-related stress and burnout, driven by overwhelming amounts of work, not enough resources, and economic uncertainty. This isn't just an employee well-being issue—it's a business issue. Burnout erodes engagement, drives turnover, and drains productivity, on average costing companies approximately 15% to 20% in payroll. The mistake most organizations make is waiting too long to step in and help. Support often arrives after someone is already overwhelmed, grieving, or emotionally checked out. We need resilient systems if we want resilient teams—teams that can adapt, recover, and perform through disruption. This starts with replacing or supplementing reactive gestures, such as an employee assistance program (EAP) hotline, leave of absence, or wellness webinars, with infrastructure that consistently supports people through the complexity of real life, not just their workloads. Resilience isn't just about helping people recover from a crisis—it's about recognizing the full spectrum of life's disruptions, both big and small. Sometimes it's a tragedy. But just as often, it's transition: a cross-country move, a parent's declining health, a child's wedding, or the quiet pressure of managing too much for too long. These moments don't always come with a formal request for help, which is why reactive support models fall short. A truly resilient organization builds systems that assume people will need support and shifts from episodic support to an embedded support system. Instead of waiting for someone to raise their hand, it proactively puts structures in place that meet employees where they are—before, during, and after change. The most effective organizations are proactively integrating support into how they operate, communicate, and lead for employee well-being. Examples include: Life navigation services that help employees manage major transitions, like caregiving, end-of-life planning, or financial and legal challenges after a death in the family. Peer-based support networks, including trained mental health allies or employee resource group leads who are visible, accessible, and empowered to connect teammates to help. Crisis-aware leadership trained to ask deeper questions, spot warning signs, and create space for people to step back, recover, or reset without penalty. Flexible infrastructure to help employees respond to the unpredictable—from school closings to elder care needs—without disrupting their livelihood. Proactive use of people analytics to spot patterns of burnout or disengagement and identify support gaps early to intervene before they compound. But programs alone aren't enough. The signs that someone needs support are often subtle, and burnout rarely begins with a dramatic breakdown. It starts with small changes—a high performer who goes quiet in meetings, a team member who starts logging on late, or a leader who suddenly misses details they wouldn't have missed before. In high-performing cultures, people may not admit or vocalize that they're struggling. Employees need to feel comfortable trusting that it's safe to ask for help before they reach a breaking point. And that trust is shaped by what leaders model, what behaviors are rewarded, and how organizations respond when life inevitably interrupts work. That's why culture matters just as much as infrastructure. Culture tells employees whether they can actually use the resources that exist. You can have the best support offerings in the world, but if you don't normalize using them or employees worry they'll be penalized for needing help, none of it matters. Resilience is built when leaders model vulnerability, teams normalize checking on one another, and support becomes part of everyday work, not just a once-a-year initiative. So, ask yourself: Do your people know where to go when life throws something big at them? Do your leaders know how to respond when it does? Are you building a culture that helps people reset, not just perform? FINAL THOUGHTS Too often, we talk about resilience as if it lives entirely within the individual. But in any organization, it's shared—a balance of what the company provides and what the employee brings. It's the organization's responsibility to create an environment where asking for help is safe, support is accessible, and care is embedded in how work gets done. It's the individual's responsibility to show up with awareness, to use what's available, and to keep growing through what life brings. The companies that will thrive in the next chapter are the ones building systems and cultures that reflect that truth. Because support shouldn't start at the breaking point—it should already be there.
Free Malaysia Today
06-06-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
European workers aren't chuffed with US-style management practices
Based on long working hours, increased monitoring, and a culture of urgency, US-style management can be a direct threat to well-being at work. (Envato Elements pic) PARIS : Flexibility at all costs, productivity as a guiding principle, and employees always on hand – US-style management, long seen as a model of efficiency, now seems divisive. Behind the promises of performance and responsiveness, more and more voices are being raised to denounce practices deemed too intrusive and incompatible with worker expectations in Europe. And while this research is focused on the Old Continent, it serves as a reminder for organisations worldwide that the adoption of management models from elsewhere cannot be undertaken without prior reflection. So, what exactly is 'American-style management'? It's based on individual performance, increased monitoring, long working hours, low tolerance for absenteeism, and a culture of urgency. While some see it as a way of boosting responsiveness and initiative, others see it as a direct threat to well-being at work. A survey conducted by recruitment platform Zety reveals that 86% of the 1,000 French, British, Spanish, Italian and German employees questioned believe the influence of US corporate culture has intensified in Europe. And for many, this isn't the right direction. Close to eight out of 10 respondents fear the adoption of US management practices will lead to a weakening of labour laws, fewer vacations, and a deterioration in work-life balance. America's 'always-on' work culture is of particular concern: 76% of employees believe it would be detrimental to their mental health. Different perceptions of work Workers in Europe do not welcome this gradual shift. For 68% of them, there is an urgent need to strengthen social safeguards to prevent any abusive practices. Some 20% of survey respondents look unfavourably upon the push to return to the office. (Envato Elements pic) A third are worried about increased surveillance in the office and constant monitoring of productivity, while one in five are concerned about possible reductions in remote working. These reflect a lack of confidence in a model perceived as too intrusive. At the heart of the matter lies a different vision of work. Indeed, 95% of employees emphasise the importance of keeping European labour laws independent of US corporate influence, while 59% feel that protecting labour laws from this influence must become a priority. When it comes to the details, there are very concrete trends around which fears are centred: 43% worry about widespread emphasis on long working hours and the cult of performance; 33% fear waves of mass layoffs in tech; 30% point to the impact of AI on employment; and 20% take a dim view of the push to return to the office. In a strong sign, 48% of workers surveyed said they might go so far as to quit their jobs if their work-life balance were compromised by such practices. This figure highlights the growing reluctance to import management methods considered too exacting. It's a wake-up call for companies that may be looking to Silicon Valley for inspiration, without taking local expectations into account. The ability to switch off, and respect for personal time, appear to be lines employees elsewhere do not want crossed. Despite this, certain aspects of the US model still hold a certain appeal. For example, higher salaries and merit-based bonuses, cited by 42% of those surveyed, remain incentives. Just over a quarter also point to the prospects offered by innovative sectors, which are seen as promising and stimulating. But these economic incentives are not enough to mask a profound difference in values. Individual success – which is at the heart of US corporate culture – holds less appeal, for instance. Only 22% of those surveyed favoured this focus on individual achievement, reflecting a certain attachment to a different relationship with work, based on solidarity, life balance, and teamwork.
