Harmonizing Work and Well-Being
A New Era of Nourishing
As we strive to bring harmony to the workplace, the challenge lies in the delicate balancing act between meeting the diverse needs of employees while still driving productivity, fostering innovation, and remaining focused on not only the ROI but the VOI, the real value. Businesses can no longer afford to view employee health and well-being as a secondary concern; it must be woven into the very fabric of organizational culture and strategy. Utilizing concepts based on the integration of Esther Sternberg’s principles and placing into models of health programming and employee benefit strategies found in Laura Putnam’s work can offer a powerful pathway to achieving this balance. By creating environments—whether physical workspaces or virtual platforms—that are consciously designed to support holistic well-being, organizations can cultivate a sense of belonging and purpose that goes beyond classic levels of job satisfaction.
When employees feel genuinely supported in all dimensions of their lives, be it physical, emotional, social, and intellectual, etc., they are more likely to bring their full, authentic selves to work. This authenticity fuels creativity, collaboration, and true engagement. The goal is to empower employees, those multi-dimensional humans that work in our offices, to not merely function within their roles but thrive in them. The result is a workplace culture where personal responsibility, resilience, and dynamism become the norm, empowering the organizations to adapt and excel as agents of change. Employees who are nourished in every aspect of their lives (Primary and Secondary Foods) are better equipped to handle stress, embrace challenges, and contribute innovative ideas, which are crucial for maintaining sustainable engagement in any industry.
Incorporating a holistic approach to employee well-being serves as a powerful magnet for attracting long-term, respectable talent. By fostering environments that nurture the whole person, organizations can cultivate a reputation that encourages loyalty and retention among current employees. This reduces turnover, mitigates associated costs, and creates a workplace where people are motivated to excel because they genuinely feel connected, valued, and cared for.
Ultimately, it is more than keeping up with current trends; it’s about strategically positioning an organization for long-term success. It is about finding the solutions to varied and individualistic needs. As the work environment continues to shift and shake, businesses that embrace a holistic approach to employee health and true forms of well-being will be better equipped to navigate future uncertainties. This approach equips individuals and the collective organization to navigate change by fostering awareness, motivation, and action rooted in a shared sense of purpose, a deep connection to their work, and a grounded commitment to achieving and maintaining a high quality of life. This foundation of well-being and fulfillment is key to building a resilient and dynamic workplace culture—one that can adapt, innovate, and excel in any environment.
This holistic commitment to integrative health acts as a catalyst for both personal and professional growth, making it a critical component of a thriving, forward-thinking workplace. Central to this approach is the understanding of what truly nourishes us.
When we speak of "Primary Food," many may initially think of modern, ordinary food, dietary theories, and nutritional concepts. This, however, is what we call “Secondary Food”. Secondary food is the scientific source of nutrition for your physical body. If we are not starving, what we put in our mouth is generally secondary to the other dimensions of the human experience. The nutrition labels, the macros, the planning, meal prep, the cooking, the input vs. output ratio, etc. don’t give us the meaning and fulfillment Primary Food gives us. It isn’t just about food. It is the understanding that there is a great deal of energy and sustenance that comes from all other parts of living that nourish the body as well. These elements are called “Primary Food”. Finding true wellness and abundance requires you to look at the integrated pieces, rather than one or more of the separate parts, in order to fulfill a need, to find the root issue, and to build empowering and long-lasting change. They are equally important but for different reasons. Below are a few examples of Primary Food elements:
Spiritual: Spirituality looks different for all people. Humans search for meaning in life; so whatever force you believe makes this universe move and brings you closer to feeling one with the world, that, is your spiritual journey. It helps satisfy the longing related to purpose, openness, and sensitivity. Spirituality nourishes you on a profound level and can open you to the synchronicities of this life. Life is happening for you. Awareness to alignment through simple practices can deepen your connection so you may relate in a loving and joyful way while you journey your individual path.
Intellectual/Education & Learning: Growth, knowledge, challenging yourself, and continuous forms of learning/education are essential to well-being. Changing your perspective, understanding and updating your values as you go through phases of your life, listening and empathizing with others’ are all ways to spark new ideas, build confidence, and increase happiness and engagement. Mental stimulation in ways of breadth and depth are a necessity to thriving.
Social/Relationships: Throughout our lifetime, we are in an endless amount of relationships; some close and intimate while others pass through depending on our choices, phases, and stages while on life’s journey. Friendships to partners to coworkers to family. Everyone has different social needs. The balance between togetherness and aloneness in one of importance. We all, though, have a need to give and receive love. In today’s society, people often lead more isolated lives. Assess how you engage in social interaction. In which ways can you develop and maintain high-quality relationships that add depth, meaning, and positive support to your life and within a community?
Physical: The human body thrives on movement. In a time where hyper inactivity is common, it becomes all the more important to be intentional about choosing ways to be active. Common, every day forms of movement such as, walking, taking the stairs, playing with your children, stretching, dancing, and doing chores are all ways to move within your day. Adding a variety of physical movement to your routine each week connects the synergies within the body and mind to keep you agile in every stage of your life. Start where you are and grow in strength — your body is capable of far more than you know.
Career/Work: Finding meaningful and rewarding work that makes you feel confident and stimulated is one of life’s great blessings. Being of service in a way only you can be with your personal gifts is a way to nourish yourself and those around you. So much of the 24 hours you have in a day is spent “at work”. It is important to know that the extent in which your life improves if you are doing work you love, is tremendous. Stress, burnout, unsatisfactory conditions, etc. are things you can try to change. It is up to you to ask for what you need. You may be surprised at what you can adjust if you simply ask. Feeling happy and productive, while you work hard each day, will increase your general sense of well-being. Each person requires different strategies to reach contentment, satisfaction, and flourishing work; some enjoy a routine in a corporate office while others enjoy the flexibility of any hour, any day structure. Job satisfaction (whatever that looks like for you!) is greatly linked to health, weight, and chronic disease. Be conscientious about how and where you spend your time.
Joy/Creativity: Your creativity is unique because your life experience is unique. Art is therapy; it allows you to see yourself. It brings relaxation and thought-provoking awareness. Creativity and joyful expression are an essential component to human happiness. Imagination, innovation, independent thought, and novel ideas are all part of joy and creativity. It’s not just for artistic pursuit; in any field of interest and any fluid, natural form of expression that comes to you is creativity. Journaling, reminiscing, coding, dancing, or simple problem-solving games all loosen your flow to be more present and allows your “right-brain” to come alive.
In each area of life, we must dig deeper into the path of least resistance. Retrain. Find more. New skills take us beyond our comfort zone to expound our capacity in life. Specialization is rewarded, but may not allow for a broad, thoughtful, novel, and sensible existence. Grow beyond! In each avenue of your life.
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“We hunger for play, fun, touch, romance, intimacy, love, achievement, success, art, music, self-expression, leadership, excitement, adventure, and spirituality. All of these elements are essential forms of nourishment.” — J. Rosenthal