Understanding that workplace well-being is a needed topic now more than ever!

So why me (Dr. Mckoy) to discuss this topic of mental well-being in the workplace? 

My journey started in my early 20’s when I started my journey to self.  I felt led to change the parts of me that no longer served me.  The parts of me that made me cringe in the dark or feel embarrassed by.  The feelings of angst in my gut that I no longer wanted to feel.  I think deep down we may all have that moment at some point in our lives. A re-assessment moment. A time where we can take an assessment on the invisible energy that surrounds us to determine if this is something that we want to continue to have linger, or make change.

Friends that were on their journey to self, self-help books, meditations online, and lots of quiet time began to reshape who Alicia was. 

Some nights I sat in meditation for 3 hours, sometimes bawling my eyes out.  Purging the pieces of the past me that needed to shed away.  That needed to roll away from the new me.  They no longer served me, and I thanked them for allowing me to know definitively now who I wanted to be as I continue in this life of mine. 

This journey was a long journey and still continues today.  The process of assessing who we are and who we want to be when we show up at work and in life is never quite done.  As long as we are alive, there may be something to learn or to teach to someone else. 

Then in 2015 I really began to rediscover who I was as an adult and business owner after getting lost in the CEO title from the first 10 years of business ownership.  I had no idea who Alicia was anymore, or how to be my whole self at work.  All I knew was my daily routine of running the business.  In 2017 I began to research and develop how to improve this for myself and for others. 

For the last 18 years. I've been building corporate workplaces. I launched my first company, a corporate interior design business, in 2005. So just about 18 years ago, and we've built offices and corporate cultures and you name it type of office buildings across the United States. And so we've worked in over 28 Different states, myself and my teams, and we've been able mental well-being and culture in the workplace.

I am on several board of directors a subject matter expert in diversity, equity and inclusion and access. And as of June 4, I became Dr. Mckoy. I have to start changing how I sign off to Dr. Alicia Mckoy with a PhD in philosophy and social sciences for the research and development of the studies we did on workplace well-being. And I and Peak Mind continue to win awards and be nominated for best in class for mental wellbeing technology and innovation.

And with the self-help industry being worth $11 billion, I think this is a widespread problem.  Leaders and employees are both affected by this.  There is obviously a problem, and it could be at work! 

As a leader, don’t make it all about you!  Yes, the company will benefit, but be of service to the humanness of your staff.  It can just be for their benefit!  Their physical, mental, and emotional health are things to value.  And as an employee, do your part to support the organizational growth in a positive way so that you can benefit in the long run. 

Statistically 80% of employees are disengaged. Why? For many reasons.  According to www.workinstitute.com,  44% of the “Top Reasons for Leaving in 2016” are all cultural related: Well-being 9%, Work environment 12%, Management Behaviors 11%, and Work-life balance 12%.  The state of well-being may change from year to year, but the premise remains the same: how stressed are workers?

If their passion isn’t there with you and your organization, allow them to pass thru and do no harm.  If their passion is there with you, do all you can to keep them and to support their well-being.  We should not wait to do all this until 5pm.  We are alive during business hours.  We are human, be ok with that.  Having resources for personal growth is a good thing during work hours! 

Consider others and do your best to be an inspiration.  We are all improving or should be along this journey of life.  Remind them to stay physically and mentally healthy.  (Open windows for fresh air flow, allow time for walks and discourage eight hours of sitting.)  We get busy and forget, so remind them!  Engage resources to help you succeed in this, we provide plenty in our manual.   And educate them on all you are providing.  You are doing great things by engaging in these solutions. 

Be gentle with yourself.  Let’s dive in today!

- Dr. Alicia E. Mckoy

Alicia@JoinPeakMind.com

+1 317 499 6879