Culture of well-being and the 8 keys to constructing it
“If well-being is the destination, then wellness translates to the choices that we all make in the pursuit of that end,” reads the “Road Map Towards Transformational Well-Being Culture” report.
The report was written by the property management company, Accor Group, in partnership with Technogym and Well Intelligent.
The report highlights eight key pathways for businesses, governments and organisations to consider as they plot their own roadmaps to a culture of well-being.
These findings draw on insights shared by speakers in the “Health to Wealth” podcast series.
The eight keys to well-being include mind and body, measuring well-being, financial health, equal access, interconnectedness, digital opportunities, sustainable living and global relevance.
Mind and body
The link between mental and physical well-being has been widely documented and has resulted in innovative neuroscientific technology with psychological and physiological benefits.
Brock Chisholm, one of the founders of the World Health Organisation (WHO), said: “Without mental health, there can be no true physical health.”
WHO reports that obesity has also tripled globally since 1975. It’s our responsibility to make the choices and take the right step in painting good health.
Measuring well-being
Governments, health organisations, and corporations are called upon to collect more comprehensive and meaningful health data – and act on it to improve the numbers.
Technology has an obvious role to play when it comes to measuring well-being. Fitbits and similar wearables can help measure your daily exercise routine and record key information such as sleep patterns.
Measuring well-being means collecting data and acting on it.
Financial well-being
With a longer-term goal to achieve a more equal distribution of wealth, it is essential to help people manage money and financial stress while offering affordable well-being solutions.
Money may not equal happiness, but it does open the door to many aspects of well-being.
There is direct evidence that overall experience of well-being rises along with income.
The more financially secure you are, the better you feel about life. However, it’s not just about wealth; it is about managing your expectations and your liabilities to meet your level of wealth.
Equal access
Well-being must be inclusive, available, accessible, and achievable for everyone, regardless of wealth, gender, race, nationality, sexuality or ability.
Societies that are more equal enjoy better health and a stronger sense of well-being.
The corporate world is increasingly playing its part in eliminating inequality, particularly through the adoption of diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) measures. DEI contributes to that by creating a culture of fairness, openness and psychological safety.
Interconnectedness
As organisations, corporations, and nations connect their ideas and actions to a wider ecosystem, the improving health of their populations leads to richer and more robust economies.
The purpose of the economy is to deliver well-being in its many forms, including good mental and physical health for everyone and the welfare of the planet rather than delivering financial wealth and power to individuals.
Business needs to prioritise making well-being part of their DNA.
Digital opportunities
Empowering individuals to have control over their data, privacy and safety, while improving the quality of data that is shared, collected and used, is a positive force for change.
Digital technology has made us more productive, yet it has also caused techno-stress such as slow connection speeds, disruption of sleep and fear of missing out (FOMO).
Manuel Muñiz, provost of IE University Madrid said: “If we do not determine how technology is deployed and distributed, it will empower some and not others.”
Sustainable living
Your own well-being is entwined with our planet. Spending time in nature has been shown to improve our mood and health but more importantly is the health of the Earth itself.
How we use the world's precious resources is critical to a sense of well-being in the world, ensuring our air, food and water supplies are safe, nourishing and sustainable.
We all have a part in protecting our environment because in effect we are looking after ourselves.
Global relevance
Well-being transcends cultural differences. The desire to be well is a universal aspiration that is essential to being human. If recognised as a cornerstone of public policy, it can be the engine that transforms the world.
The London School of Economics Department of Psychological and Behavioural Science explains well-being as playing a major role in our experience of the world and our interactions with it.
Therefore, universal aspiration needs to be treated as an essential priority.
