Ethics, wellbeing and organisations

Wellbeing is a term being increasingly used in the context of organisations with the addition of dedicated Officer / Board Director positions alongside the traditional positions of CFO, COO, HRO etc. The pandemic resulted in the health and wellbeing of people being placed right at top of corporate agendas and there has been a significant shift in the conversation around mental and psychological wellbeing. 

At the same time and maybe because of this shift of interest and understanding, news of abuses of power, discrimination, structural inequalities, bullying, sexual misconduct, profiteering, green washing, modern slavery, child exploitation, hypocrisy and other injustices surface on an almost daily basis. The conversation points not at isolated incidents but at dysfunction and toxicity existing within a systemic context. 

Contextually, we find ourselves in a world where insecurity and uncertainty remains forefront as climate change, war, political instability and financial inequality exist at the same time that science and technology offer both great opportunities and potential threats; we are constantly confronted with pressures and challenges that raise ethical dilemmas.

The increased focus on wellbeing might be seen as indicating more of an attempt to catch up, to treat symptoms and find remedies? If so, a way forward is to address the underlying causes of dysfunction and toxicity in organisational culture? Of course it does depend on whether what is understood by wellbeing? For me, I think of wellbeing as being understood in systemic terms, after all isn’t it the case that in any group, family, society if one isn’t ok the system will not be ok? 

As our understanding of psychology deepens the understanding of how differing ways of being are misunderstood, how people are discriminated against for what they struggle to do whilst their strengths and gifts are overlooked, then we are, I believe, called upon to think of wellbeing not as an attempt to consider the needs of as many people as possible but everyone's needs.

Currently, thinking around wellbeing tends to focus on staff but I think this should be extended to all people possibly affected by their operations. Customers are increasingly protected by legislation but what about product and service development that puts wellbeing at its core? Thinking wider still, what about the wellbeing of staff’s families and friends, independent contractors, suppliers, investors? 

This signifies a complete upheaval in terms of the vision and mission for organisations and then requires the responsibility for wellbeing being at the core of everyone's roles. Ensuring wellbeing whilst fulfilling our responsibilities needs to be turned on its head so that wellbeing is a way of fulfilling responsibilities. 

If you put wellbeing at the core of all organisational endeavour you can have organisations developing products and services, internal structures, jobs, contracts, supply chains, investments, returns to investors that protect the wellbeing of all. If it becomes everyone's responsibility to think about wellbeing, both their’s and that of others then all actions can be considered through the questioning and assessment of consequences on the wellbeing of all. 

At a time when there seems to be a real desire for change, there is a possibility to adjust the structural foundations which we know drive toxicity and dysfunction. If current trends tell us anything it must be that turning a blind eye, not challenging the status quo, continuing to pursue the same objectives and strategies without pausing to rethink is a short term choice. The time is now for building business with wellbeing at the centre of their visions and missions.

Notes:

Nicholas Rose is available to consult on ethics, wellbeing and organisational strategy and development. With a career in large multinational private sector organisations and the third sector, combined with twenty years experience of working with ethical dilemmas that arise in the context of working as a psychotherapist, Nicholas brings a unique depth and breadth of experience for any organisation that recognises and desires business transformation based around ethics and wellbeing.