Many employers agree on one common theme: Their employees are their most valuable asset. When the workforce thrives, business thrives.

Over the past year, there has been a growing emphasis on human sustainability. This approach challenges the status quo, encouraging organizations to create real value for their employees by investing in health and wellbeing, career growth, skill development, a sense of purpose, and more. It also drives companies to make intentional progress toward equity and belonging.

In the broadest sense, sustainability refers to the ability to maintain or support a process continuously over time and prevent the depletion of resources. When integrated into an organization’s culture, human sustainability can help address the employee retention challenges and burnout crisis that employers face by creating an environment where employees feel valued, supported, and motivated to stay.

It is time to lean in and recognize that the health and wellbeing of employees is not just a human resources issue but a strategic requirement that can drive the long-term success and performance of an organization. Consider what you can do to ensure your employees are benefiting from your organization versus how they benefit you.

Redefining Productivity with Human Sustainability in Mind

As a society, we are scratching the surface on how artificial intelligence (AI) will change the way we work. As AI allows employees to be more efficient at mundane tasks, it will create new norms for productivity that allows for more opportunities to improve our health span and our lifespans.

Since the early 1900s, labor productivity has been measured by the output produced per hour of work. In the US, workforce productivity increased by 299% from 1950 to 2018.1 This remarkable growth can be attributed to advances in technology that allow employees to accomplish tasks more efficiently. However, our approach to time management has not evolved at the same pace.

The traditional 9-to-5 workweek was first introduced in 1926. However, technology has fundamentally changed the landscape, enabling many Americans to check emails and work from virtually anywhere. In fact, 71% of Americans report first checking their work email between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m., and 70% continue checking after 6 p.m.2  While technology has made us more connected than ever, it has also blurred the boundaries between work and personal life. With rising levels of stress and burnout among employees and leaders, it may be time to reconsider what productivity should look like in the 21st century.

  • Redefining productivity with human sustainability in mind involves evaluating not just the output of employees, but also the quality of the work, employee’s engagement level, and connectedness to the organization. We need to move away from merely checking boxes, measuring hours worked, and calculating output. Instead, the emphasis should shift to the overall impact and engagement of employees, along with their adaptability, perseverance, and quality of work.
  • Leaders need to review existing productivity metrics, reflect on how employee engagement is being measured, and consider what the impact of shifting such a measurement to include concepts such as trust, autonomy, and other values would reveal within their workplace.
  • Managers should engage in open dialogue with employees about their productivity and how best to support them. Ask employees when they feel most productive during the day and what barriers can be removed to optimize their performance. Additionally, during annual or quarterly reviews, assess how connected they feel to the organization and their team, as a strong sense of belonging contributes to both their wellbeing and productivity.
  • Promoting work-life balance and emphasizing the importance of time off can go a long way. Supporting employees in taking time off is essential for fostering human sustainability, as it allows them to rest, recharge, and reset.

Do you know how your employees feel about taking time off? Are you tracking whether they’re using enough time off throughout the year? Are they afraid of taking time away due to concerns about missing a promotion or falling behind on work? Encouraging time off helps reduce burnout, improve mental and physical health, and ultimately sustain long-term productivity. Remember to lead by example: normalize vacations, disconnect when you take PTO, take breaks, and step away from your desk during lunch. These behaviors can make a big difference to your team.

Workforce Engagement and Human Sustainability 

Physical and mental health support, work-life balance, inclusive cultures, employee engagement, career growth, continuous learning, responsive policies are all aspects of human sustainability. When effectively integrated into an organization’s culture, it will drive employee wellbeing and retention by creating an environment where employees feel valued, supported, motivated to stay, and have a sense of purpose.

Human sustainability involves understanding and adapting to the evolving needs of employees. Whether it is through flexible work options, mental health days, or other policies, organizations that adapt to the needs of their workforce succeed.

One way to ensure you are adapting to the needs of your workforce is to offer annual workforce engagement surveys. However, many employers ask the questions but do not have the bandwidth to make the necessary changes when they receive the feedback. Being transparent with employees about the insights gained and how you are working as a company to address them will help create a more sustainable environment. You do not need to change everything overnight – take time and be strategic with what you learn from your workforce, but make sure to communicate with them.

When employers commit to organizational changes – such as improvements in scheduling, management practices, staff resources, tailored job design – it can have bigger impacts on employees’ wellbeing compared to more traditional wellbeing programs. Check out our article on wellbeing with purpose to learn more.

Physical Health Support and Human Sustainability

Fostering physical health in the workplace is a key component of human sustainability, as it not only enhances employees’ long-term wellbeing but also boosts productivity and reduces absenteeism. By creating a culture that promotes and creates space to integrate wellbeing into the daily work routines, employers can sustain a healthier, more engaged, and more productive workforce.

One aspect of wellbeing that needs more attention is holistic nutrition at work. Nutrition support at work is closely tied to human sustainability because it directly impacts employee wellbeing, energy levels, and overall productivity. When organizations promote healthy eating habits and provide access to nutritious food options, they foster a workplace environment that supports both physical and mental health, essential for long-term sustainability. On average, people spend 90,000 hours at work throughout their lives – and they eat every 3–5 hours during the day. That is tens of thousands of meals people will consume while at work.3

The foods that employees eat affect their ability to focus, productivity levels, and overall mood. In addition, the ways in which employees eat at work can affect their sense of community and general wellbeing. Promoting the consumption of nourishing food in the workplace requires both a focus on promoting nutritious foods and a focus on creating a positive office eating culture.

As a leader, you can help create a positive office eating culture by making sure to regularly take your lunch break and to eat your meals in common spaces where you can interact with employees. As an organization, be sure that meetings are not scheduled during lunch breaks and that it is clear to employees they are not expected to respond to emails or requests during that time.

In addition, take some time to assess your break or lunchroom. Does it feel inviting? Are there places for employees to sit together? Is it encouraging employees to bring their own lunches – for example, does it have ample fridge space and a microwave?

You might be thinking about how you can apply some of these concepts for a remote workforce. Here are some creative ideas to reduce nutrition barriers for remote employees. Offer a meal stipend for employees to use for meal kit services such as Green Chef, Purple Carrot, Hello Fresh, Freshly Marley Spoon, Home Chef, etc. You could explore posting healthy meals and snack suggestions on an internal Teams or Slack channel, or provide healthy cookbooks as rewards for wellness program engagement. Another idea is to offer remote health coaching specifically for nutrition. There are several vendors out there that provide individualized nutrition support remotely.

Citations:

1. Miller, L. (2022, August 25). How U.S. labor productivity has changed since 1950. Stacker. https://stacker.com/business-economy/how-us-labor-productivity-has-changed-1950

2.Smart Insights. (2022, February 14). The American inbox: The modern state of email in the workplace. https://www.smartinsights.com/email-marketing/american-inbox-modern-state-email-workplace/

3.Trepp, B., & Hardy, H. (2024, February 12). Office eating culture. Accelerate | University of Utah Health. https://accelerate.uofuhealth.utah.edu/improvement/office-eating-culture