👻 Forget the tricks, show me the treats
When it comes to mental health and well-being in the workplace, you'd better believe that the surgeon general's all in on treats. Plus, the candy carousel spins again!
Welcome to Wanderfull! I wonder: how do you celebrate Halloween? Share with a comment; it’d be great to read about what you do.
A Tip for the Modern Worker
Don’t just talk about the weather. Conversations can’t all be about the weather, fantasy football, or kids. Open up and talk with colleagues about topics outside of your daily responsibilities. It’ll help strengthen and enrich those relationships. You’ll be a better person and colleague by knowing who they are. What do they like? What are their fears? You'll realize that they, like you, are human. Keep your ears open and listen. You’ll learn a lot.
I tweeted that out exactly a year ago and it’s part of my Handbook for the Modern Worker. One-on-one time is a great opportunity to practice this. I love to start or end calls with colleagues or my manager with some casual conversation. Sometimes it’s just beneath the surface and sometimes we dive deeper, but it always strengthens our connection.
#365DayDraw
I drew this and wrote the accompanying annotation as part of my #365DayDraw project 6 years ago today.
Okay kids: have fun, be safe, stay with your group and remember, Daddy loves Snickers
Today is Halloween! Spooky. When the kids were younger I relied on them to bring me my favorite candy. Now that my in-house trick-or-treaters have graduated onto other activities, I make sure that our pre-Halloween bulk candy purchases include those favorites. I wanted to keep our tradition of handing out candy alive in 2020 so I created a pandemic-friendly, socially-distanced candy carousel. This will be the third year the carousel spins at our house. Imagine your favorite candy bar swinging into view from a smoky mist while ghoulish music sets an ominous stage. Yeah, that’s how we roll.
Commentary
The effects of unhealthy work-life took center stage this week as the United States’ top doctor released a framework to address mental health and well-being in the workplace.
“As we recover from the worst of the pandemic, we have an opportunity and the power to make workplaces engines for mental health and well-being, and this Surgeon General’s Framework shows us how we can start. It will require organizations to rethink how they protect workers from harm, foster a sense of connection among workers, show workers that they matter, make space for their lives outside work, and support their growth. It will be worth it, because the benefits will accrue for workers and organizations alike.”
– Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy
This is huge. The surgeon general’s job is to provide Americans with “the best scientific information available on how to improve their health and reduce their risk of illness and injury.” I usually think of cigarette package warnings when I think of the surgeon general, don’t you? This workplace well-being theme shares an overflowing stage with their other current priorities of COVID-19, health misinformation, health worker burnout, and youth mental health.
There are five key themes in the framework:
Protection from Harm: Are you physically and psychologically safe? I’ve had many good years in my career, but sadly some were marred by bullying. Those “bad bosses” of years past fit squarely in this category.
Connection and Community: Do you have positive social interactions and relationships in the workplace? I’ve been blessed with pretty fantastic teams throughout my career, and have felt accepted by my peers without exception. However, loneliness and isolation, especially in the wake of the pandemic, make this a really important theme.
Work-Life Harmony: Do you have flexibility over how, when, and where you work? Trust is such an important part of this equation. Unreasonable expectations and an expectation that “time in your seat” equates to productivity can derail this theme.
Mattering at Work: Do you feel respected and valued in your role? If I don't understand how what I do is important, or how it fits into the broader picture, I ask. Rewards, recognition, and compensation all work together to help workers feel they matter, too.
Opportunity for Growth: Do you get actionable feedback on your performance? Can you grow and learn on the job? It’s so nice to be a part of an organization that prioritizes feedback, career development, and continuous learning. You can do this yourself, sure, but having a framework available to you is so helpful.
The full document and more details on each of these five key themes are available at hhs.gov.
Miscellanea
🦟 In our neverending fall quest to vanquish all of the fruit flies in our home, we resorted to a high-tech approach this week. Katchy (isn’t that a great name?) uses a UV light to attract these little bugs, sucks ‘em in with a fan, and traps ‘em on a sticky board until they succumb. Brutal. Seems to work, though, and we’re pretty happy with it.
⏰ It’s so dark outside in the morning AND in the evening! We’ll all set our clocks back an hour at 2 a.m. on November 6. Wasn’t that supposed to be made permanent next year? While the Sunshine Protection Act of 2021 did pass the U.S. Senate in March, the House and the president still need to approve it. Like a package stuck in transit, its status has been “Held at the desk” at the House since March 16. Will someone please pick up the bill and move it along?
🏭 I listened to a very depressing NPR segment about climate change. Specifically, greenhouse gas emissions need to fall 45% in the next 8 years. To get there, we need to move faster: the segment cites that deforestation rates need to slow by 2.5 times, and electric car adoption needs to be quintupled. Emissions dropped in 2020 because of the pandemic, but only ~7% and only temporarily. Think about how disruptive lockdowns were! One thing’s clear: we’re not moving fast enough, and unless we’re going to suffer the tragedy of the commons, things are going to have to change.