ALTOGETHER NOW
Gabby Austen Browne , co-founder of Diversity Ally , says employers must provide inclusive support to keep employee – and delegate – wellbeing at the forefront e have all heard of that statistic recognising the events industry as one of the top five most stressful careers in the world . Believe me , I know . Rewind three years and I was overweight , lacking energy , tired all the time and super stressed with low-level depression , and I wasn ’ t alone . Studies have shown that 46 % of the events industry uses alcohol , cigarettes , and drugs to cope . I knew something had to change , so I took the personal responsibility to overhaul my lifestyle because , at the time , the support just wasn ’ t there in my company . However , thankfully another positive that has come out of the pandemic is that there is much more support from companies when it comes to staff health and wellbeing . As much as we can and should take responsibility for our own wellbeing , it is important we are also supported to do this in our professional lives , too . Wellbeing is high on the company agenda .
Wellbeing and inclusion
Before we pat ourselves on the back , did you know that there is such a thing as wellbeing privilege ? I know , you ’ re probably reading this thinking , “ oh God , here we go again , I ’ m getting told off for having access to certain things I didn ’ t ask for , or that I worked hard for ”; but hear me out . When others don ’ t have wellbeing equality we can ’ t bang on about how we have an inclusive and equitable workplace or how important this is to our business , because inclusivity is so closely linked to wellbeing and equity .
Inclusive wellbeing and equity means us all having access to the same support , benefits and opportunities to take care of our wellbeing , while still feeling an integral part of the team and not being marginalised or discriminated against because of our different lifestyles or experiences .
Unsurprisingly , discrimination has a particularly negative effect on the lives of ethnic minority , LGTBQ + and disabled employees , with around a third of employees who have been subjected to racism or discrimination at work , taking sick leave as a result .
What can be considered wellbeing privilege and how can we address it ?
Gabby Austen Browne
It ’ s a real privilege to have a job that allows us to take breaks as and when we need them or to take time out to exercise or rest during the day . It ’ s a privilege if your company offers benefits such as medical insurance , gym membership or has counselling available . Or maybe you ’ re lucky enough to have a short commute or you have a dedicated home office for when you are working remotely .
Studies show the more wellness privilege we have , the more likely we are to be flourishing in all respects , both at work and home . So , let ’ s make sure we provide equal access to tools and resources , and create a fair system of recognition and reward , as part of our wellbeing strategy , so that everyone in the workplace can flourish . CN
l Gabby Austen Browne delivers inclusive wellbeing sessions for organisations looking to make sure their activities include and benefit everyone as well as consulting and education on intersectionality in the workplace , anti-racism and allyship workshops , understanding privilege and power and the impact of systemic inequality . All designed to create healthier and more inclusive workplaces that actively work to reduce how bias and inequality impacts employees .
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