As the new year begins, we are thinking about what we want to accomplish.
During this time, we may think a lot about the 8 dimensions of wellbeing in our lives.
I have started to wonder if the 8 dimensions of wellbeing could be applied to a business.
Could a company consider it’s “wellbeing” beyond the financials?
My Assessment
I dove into that question, and I arrived at a point of view for each dimension of wellbeing:
Financial: This one is straightforward. All companies keep a close eye on financial wellbeing. I think an area where conversations could be expanded is to consider not just what makes the company profitable, but what would make it prosperous. This brings an expansion beyond just profits.
Occupational: In individual wellbeing, the focus is on careers. When taken to the company level, we could look a bit more abstractly and consider the “career” of the organization – what field is it in? what is being done to advance the thinking in the field? What is the next step in our company’s career journey?
Intellectual: This category covers creativity, innovation, and hobbies. When applied to a company, we could look at how new ideas are fostered and how innovation is celebrated. We might also consider the causes we support and new things we want to learn as an organization.
Social: The social dimension could focus on the relationships across the company considering how we build connections. In a hybrid world, we could have conversations about how to build trust and teamwork when we are working in the same physical space and when we are apart. We can also expand the relationships with our suppliers and customers.
Environmental: There are two dimensions of environmental wellbeing that could be considered. The first is the environmental impact our products and practices have on the world. The second could be the spaces we design for employees. How do we want these environments to feel? What is the vibe?
Physical: This dimension of the company can vary based on the organization. We can take the physical wellbeing of our staff into consideration and design programs. We can also monitor the health of our assets – from buildings, to machinery, computer systems, and more.
Emotional: While the social wellbeing focuses on the interactions, the emotional wellbeing of the company is focused on sentiment – the sentiment of employees, investors, suppliers, clients, and customers. How do they feel about the company? And, why?
Spiritual: This final dimension looks inward and explores who we are and our mission in the world. Each year, a company could review purpose, mission, vision, and values to understand where there is alignment and where things might be off course.
Your Turn
Can you imagine using the 8 dimensions of wellbeing for your company?
Where would the business be most on-track and most off-track?
Could this help set goals and aspirations for the year ahead?