Humanising the robot

These days, in a business environment driven by technology and targets, it is the human factor that is seen to be taking the strain in this relentless strive to do better.

Oxymoron

Let’s be fair, the term Corporate Wellness can be seen to be an oxymoron. The one word lends itself to tasks, the work that needs to be done, while the other refers to the people in the organisation, the human quotient.

In essence, then, it is the corporate which deals with the object while the wellness focuses on the subject, and by concentrating on only one of these a company runs the risk of sacrificing its health in the other.

In corporations where the desire to be so strong in the task overrides the need for wellness amongst its employees, the question then is where can these two meet? Where can the task-orientated presence of the corporate meet the employee-centric necessity of wellness?

Research into the corporate environment shows it is common knowledge that it is a harsh and hostile place to work in with any sense of motivation and commitment. The very nature of the work itself and the expectations placed on the customer services representatives (CSR) has the effect of dehumanising the employees.

These CSR experience significant degrees of

• frustration,
  
• anger
  
• negativity.
  
• despair
  
• helplessness
  
• feeling undervalued and unacknowledged

Without appropriate management, these symptoms translate into behaviours frequently witnessed, namely:

• burnout
  
• absenteeism
  
• high staff turnover
  
• demotivated and demoralised employees

Efforts to combat this ever-increasing problem have focused on:

• upgrading technology
  
• improved recruitment procedures
  
• emphasis on continued product and technical training

Although all of these factors are central to stress reduction, emphasis on the PEOPLE who work in the corporate environment is often overlooked. Preventing, identifying and managing wellness should be primary focus both on economic and human grounds.

Based on the research, it is clear that there is a definite need for a serious and ongoing commitment to managing the endemic wellness of the corporate world. There is no quick fix to this. Infrequent stress management and motivational workshops are not adequate to sustain the psychological well-being of the employees. This should form an integral part of the daily running of a business and inculcated into the culture of the organisation.

By equipping leaders and managers with psycho-educational tools, and in-depth understanding and insight into human behavior, one will go a long way in creating a more humanistic, supportive and sustainable environment.