As good people leaders we want to serve our team members to the best of our abilities. We check in with them, making sure they have the clear direction, resources and support they need to do their jobs. If they’re overwhelmed or stressed, we want to figure out how to help them or address specific needs.   Sometimes we can focus so much on addressing the needs of our team that we neglect our own. I’ve walked this journey and I know the pitfalls that can follow – including burnout and losing top talent in organizations. Since recruitment, selection and onboarding are some of the most common areas of work that HR professionals engage in, ensuring employee well-being is central to talent retention1.

So how do we counter that? One place to start is by prioritizing our own self-care. At HRPA, this is our philosophy – we truly value our members’ dedication, and we want to give back to HR professionals. Whether it is through career mentorship or through our well-attended conferences and webinars that draw thousands of attendees a year, providing professional development opportunities is also at the core of what we do4.

Prioritize with Purposeful Pause

In the past year, 94% of HR professionals in Ontario have seen an increase in their workload while only 35% say that they have received additional support 2. As HR professionals face increasing workloads without accompanying increases in resources, it has become imperative to nurture HR professionals’ well-being. I would go so far as to say that this is crucial to retaining your best employees. From stemming compassion fatigue to radical self-care, there are many ways to fuel such personal growth. Ultimately, it comes down to ensuring you and your team feel energized and ready to conquer the challenges in the workplace today, while preparing for the future of work.

This summer, I invite you to purposefully pause and to make it a priority to check in with yourself. Now is the time to reconnect with yourself, remember why you chose HR in the first place and rejuvenate. I know from personal experience that taking time to relax and recharge is essential to me bringing my healthier, best self to work and all I do in my personal life. Taking breaks regularly is key to sustaining your ability to drive positive change and foster a thriving work environment.

How Can You Get Started?

There is no fixing a problem if we don’t first recognize it as a problem. This is where self-awareness comes in. By understanding our unique cognitive patterns, we can unlock the secrets of how our thinking and behaviour work. In turn, this can help us reshape how we see and interact the world.

With this skill, we can be well on our way to learning how we can care for others without it taking a toll on our well-being. We know that caregivers in personal and professional realms are at-risk of burnout. Evidently, this is also on the minds of HR leaders, with wellness initiatives being one of the top three measures that HR professionals across the country are implementing to aid talent retention3. This illustrates the widespread need for tools and strategies to recognize and address burnout, while recognizing that individual thresholds and circumstances vary greatly.

The goal here is to equip HR leaders to engage in self-reflection, achieve work-like flow and reignite your sense of purpose. This is no easy task – it requires expert guidance, discipline and commitment to your own well-being, all of which can fall into disarray when life throws us a curveball.

The true essence of self-care lies in your intention. It includes nurturing your mental, emotional and physical health in ways that are sustainable for the long haul and that are responsive to your needs as they change over time. Mindset coaching is an emerging area of interest in employee wellness5. It involves harnessing the ability to coach yourself and cultivate a positive mindset centred on gratitude and relationship-building. This can strengthen resilience and lead to greater happiness and satisfaction in your personal and professional life. Mindset coaching can empower us to find joy, purpose and meaning in our day-to-day actions.

Interested in Learning More?

Indeed, there is so much more to be said on the topic of holistic well-being. This is why our upcoming Summer Conference is especially designed to support your well-being and will be a transformative experience for you. Join us for an empowering experience at this virtual event, happening July 25! Register today and save, using the discount SUMMER50.

Sources

  1. 2022 Annual Member and Student Survey – Key Findings Report
  2. 2022 HRPA and CPHR Canada HR Trends Survey – Ontario Report
  3. 2022 HRPA and CPHR Canada HR Trends Survey – National Report
  4. HRPA 2022 Annual Report
  5. Happy Moments

Jodi Kovitz, (She, Her), Chief Executive Officer