In our final episode of Season 2 of Empathy Power Up, we do a retrospective of the season behind us, what we learned in the process, and our hope for the future. We begin by wondering what makes a 21st century workplace and the workers within it, and untangle this question through the lens of a new framework that describes the common thread among more than 200 research studies on the topic.

Over the course of the season, your hosts Kevin and Amy went deeper into this framework, called the Framework for Mental Health & Well-Being launched by the US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy’s office in October 2022. In it, they outline five essential components for workplace well-being: protection from harm, connection & community, work-life harmony, mattering at work, and opportunity for growth. Each episode along the journey addresses two fundamental human needs and highlights areas where workplaces can improve to support employee well-being, and what we can do to support our own learning & growth.

At the end of the episode you’ll hear updates and announcements from Kevin and Amy on what they’re working on now and their thoughts for the next season of the Empathy Power Up Podcast.

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Amy J. Wilson designs worlds where every person gets what they need, the power to achieve what they want, and the agency to do what they love. She is the bestselling author of Empathy for Change: How to Build a More Understanding World: https://www.amazon.com/Empathy-Change-Create-Understanding-World, a guide to create positive transformation where we work, live, and play. Grab a copy anywhere books are sold or the audiobook on Audible.

Kevin A.K.A Captain Empathy is the Founder and CEO of Jaago (means to wake-up in Hindi). Jaago’s vision is to create a world where people seek to understand one another by making empathy a daily habit. He is a tech leader and IOT (Internet of Things) pioneer and expert. He brings practical experience, lived experience, and his transparent growth journey to the podcast.

Follow:

• Amy at @realamyjwilson or Linktree: https://linktr.ee/empathyinaction
• Kevin at @shahkevin or https://linktr.ee/shahkevin

Yearning to learn and grow is central to who we are, yet there are many things in our life that block us from growing into a better version of ourselves. We are holding so many things: trying to be good at our jobs, within treasured relationships, and also taking care of ourselves in the process. There never seems to be enough time in the day.

When we get overwhelmed with life or our work situation, we stay in our comfort zone which is surrounded by fears that hold us back. But beyond those fears are the real nuggets of learning and eventual growth that we need to feel fulfilled.

This week we talk about the Opportunity for Growth, which is the fifth and final part of the US Surgeon General’s Framework for Mental Health and Wellbeing. This Essential rests on the human needs of learning and a sense of accomplishment. Learning is the process of acquiring new skills and knowledge in the workplace, and accomplishment is the outcome of meeting goals and having an impact.

We can develop horizontally, meaning we can expand to deepen our existing or new skills and knowledge, or vertically which means that we develop ourselves deeper into who we are and show up in the world. In this episode we’ll talk about the four zones that we need to manage in our everyday lives, how we can expand both outward and upward, and what our workplaces can do to support us in our own growth to reach new levels of accomplishment.

Reference Materials:

Cook-Greuter, Susanne R. (2004). “Making the case for developmental perspective.” Industrial and Commercial Training, 36 (7). http://www.verticaldevelopment.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/1.-Cook-Greuter-Making-the-case-for-a-developmental-perspective.pdf

Kegan, Robert (1998). “In Over Our Heads: The Mental Demands of Modern Life.” Harvard University Press.

https://www.amazon.com/Over-Our-Heads-Mental-Demands/dp/0674445880

Loevinger, Jane (1976). “Ego Development: Conceptions and Theories.” Joseey-Bass. , Jane Loevinger, 1976

(https://www.amazon.com/Ego-Development-Conceptions-Jossey-Bass-Behavioral/dp/0875892752)

Torbert, William (2004). “Action Inquiry: The Secret of Timely and Transforming Leadership.” Barrett-Koehler Publishers.

https://www.amazon.com/Action-Inquiry-Secret-Transforming-Leadership/dp/157675264X

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Amy J. Wilson designs worlds where every person gets what they need, the power to achieve what they want, and the agency to do what they love. She is the bestselling author of Empathy for Change: How to Build a More Understanding World: https://www.amazon.com/Empathy-Change-Create-Understanding-World, a guide to create positive transformation where we work, live, and play. Grab a copy anywhere books are sold or the audiobook on Audible.

Kevin A.K.A Captain Empathy is the Founder and CEO of Jaago (means to wake-up in Hindi). Jaago’s vision is to create a world where people seek to understand one another by making empathy a daily habit. He is a tech leader and IOT (Internet of Things) pioneer and expert. He brings practical experience, lived experience, and his transparent growth journey to the podcast.

Follow:

• Amy at...

What does it feel like to matter at work? This concept was a lot to wrap our minds around, as it doesn’t seem as straightforward like the other parts of the U.S. Surgeon General’s Framework on Workplace Mental Health and Wellbeing—it’s a lot more abstract. When we matter at work, we feel valued and we also add value to our workplace. We can feel or give value to ourselves, others both at the workplace and in our communities we gather.

Mattering involves “more than feeling like you belong in a group, it's also being missed by people in that group if you weren’t there,” says Dr. Gordon Flett, a York University professor and author of “The Psychology of Mattering.” It turns out that you won’t be a happy person if no one notices you when you enter a room, even if you feel like you’re valued. You’ll likely feel left out and isolated, and can have serious consequences. A lack of mattering is associated with burnout, self-criticism, anxiety, depression, aggression and increased risk of suicide. On the other side, people who feel like they matter experience more self-compassion, relationship satisfaction, and greater belief in their capacity to achieve their goals in life.

This Framework Essential involves two human needs: meaning and dignity. Meaning is similar to having a purpose—that what we do has some kind of significance to us or the world. A sense of meaning can mean different things to different people: it can be a belief, feeling, a pursuit, significance, and a future state you’re working towards.

Dignity is the sense of being respected and valued as humans. Dr. Donna Hicks explains two core truths of dignity, which are 1) that we are inherently valuable and worthy and 2) our dignity is vulnerable, and can be wounded. When the dignity of workers is affirmed and supported in the workplace, it enhances well-being. Conversely, being made to feel disrespected or not valued may lead to an increase in stress and feelings of anger, cynicism, hostility, and withdrawal.

Both meaning and dignity are linked to power and agency, which we discuss more within this episode. Wrap your own mind around this complex topic, and learn how to find out if you are valued at work within this episode.

Reference Materials:

Cornwall, Gail. “Want to Believe in Yourself? ‘Mattering’ Is Key.” Retrieved on November 13, 2023 at: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/27/well/mind/mental-health-mattering-self-esteem.html

Hicks, Donna. Ph.D. Dignity: Its Essential Role in Resolving Conflict. 14 September 2021. https://drdonnahicks.com/books/dignity/

Just Associates, Making Change Happen, 2011, https://justassociates.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/mch3_2011_final_0.pdf

Prilleltensky, Isaac. Mattering at the Intersection of Psychology, Philosophy, and Politics. Retrieved on November 13, 2023 at: https://carsey.unh.edu/sites/default/files/media/2020/07/christine-robinson-nh-listens-fellows-cv.pdf

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Amy J. Wilson designs worlds where every person gets what they need, the power to achieve what they want, and the agency to do what they love. She is the bestselling author of Empathy for Change: How to Build a More Understanding World:

Many of us can admit we work too much, and some may say we’re workaholics. In fact, we all come from a long line of ancestors pushed to work long hours all in the spirit of rugged individualism and achieving the next big thing. Whether it was by choice or not, we’ve been conditioned to chase production over knowing our own self worth and resting.

But these are different times. In our ongoing discussion related to how our workplaces can serve our whole selves better, we realize that the hours we spend at work pulls us away from the people and things that matter most in our lives. And, we’re seeing that it is taking a big toll on our physical and mental health, which we’re becoming less willing to sacrifice in today’s world.

Our workplaces and mindsets are going through a great reset. People all over the world are beginning to understand that work-life harmony is beneficial and generative for all of us. We are learning how to set boundaries that enable us to play, live, rest, and explore, that in the end will make us more engaged and productive at work. On the other hand, organizations can increase worker autonomy, or how much control one has over how they do their work, and provide greater flexibility, or the ability to work when and where is best for them. Organizations who have achieved these goals have seen workers more likely to succeed and stay at their jobs for longer, leading to increased quality of work and profits.

In this episode, Kevin Shah and Amy J. Wilson will go deep on this topic and explore how we got here, what it’s like now, and ways that we can increase boundaries, autonomy, and flexibility to live the lives we have imagined. They explore what’s possible now, and in the future in a world that is focused more on empathy and compassion over profit and exploiting our most valuable resource: its people.

Reference Materials:

Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being: https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/workplace-well-being/index.html

Surgeon General’s Advisory on Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation: https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/connection/index.html

The Twenty Questions from Workaholics Anonymous: https://workaholics-anonymous.org/10-literature/24-twenty-questions

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Amy J. Wilson designs worlds where every person gets what they need, the power to achieve what they want, and the agency to do what they love. She is the bestselling author of Empathy for Change: How to Build a More Understanding World: https://www.amazon.com/Empathy-Change-Create-Understanding-World, a guide to create positive transformation where we work, live, and play. Grab a copy anywhere books are sold or the audiobook on Audible.

Kevin A.K.A Captain Empathy is the Founder and CEO of Jaago (means to wake-up in Hindi). Jaago’s vision is to create a world where people seek to understand one another by making empathy a daily habit. He is a tech leader and IOT (Internet of Things) pioneer and expert. He brings practical experience, lived experience, and his transparent growth journey to the podcast.

Follow:

• Amy at @realamyjwilson or Linktree:

Given the amount of time people spend at work, the relationships and connections we build in the workplace can have a variety of impacts on our overall well-being and success, both positive and negative. Strong workplace relationships better job satisfaction, productivity, and innovation. On the other hand, poor workplace relationships can lead to conflict, stress, and decreased productivity, and can also make it difficult to work effectively with others.

In this episode we focus on the second essential in the US Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Well-being: Connection and Community and rests on two human needs: social support and belonging. Social connection (and support) is the number, variety, and quality of your relationships and interactions--and whether these meet your needs. Belonging is a feeling of being accepted and included in a group or community.

Connection and community have healing effects and play a critical role in individual, community, and societal health. These essentials involve high levels of self awareness, emotional intelligence, and interpersonal development to do these things well, and have the most to do with building empathy and compassion. We go deeper on how we can create a culture of belonging, cultivate trusted relationships, and double down on collaboration and teamwork.

Reference Materials:

Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling by John Taylor Gatto, 1992. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Dumbing_Us_Down/ZY4mAQAAIAAJ?hl=en

Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being: https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/workplace-well-being/index.html

Surgeon General’s Advisory on Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation: https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/connection/index.html

Think Like a Monk by Jay Shetty. https://thinklikeamonkbook.com/

The well being of workers and the health of organizations are inextricably connected. More than two-in-five workers surveyed by the American Psychological Association in 2022 reported that health and safety concerns negatively affect their stress level at work.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, our work weeks have gotten longer, while our boundaries between our personal and professional lives dissolved. Workers around the world are putting in an average of 9.2 hours of unpaid overtime per week – up from 7.3 hours just a year ago. Recent research shows that people working more than 54 hours a week are at major risk of dying from overwork. Experts estimate that overwork kills 750,000 people per year.

For years, “hustle culture” has glorified sacrificing sleep and work-life balance in favor of production and superficial success. Tricia Hershey, the Founder of The Nap Ministry and author of Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto has stated that “grind culture has stolen your imagination. Our thinking is very limited because we are deeply disconnected, exhausted, sleep deprived and don’t believe we are worthy of anything unless we burn ourselves out to ‘accomplish’ it.”

In this episode we dive into two human needs in Protection from Harm: safety and security. A healthy workplace prioritizes workplace physical security and psychological safety. In psychologically safe teams, members feel accepted and respected, and won’t be punished for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes. We discuss four strategies that can be used by organizations and companies to protect their workers from physical, emotional, and psychological harm.

Protection from Harm is one of five essentials that support workplaces as engines of well-being and positive mental health. These essentials are described in the U.S. Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health & Well-Being, published in October 2022.

Over the course of this season, your co-hosts Kevin and Amy break down the components of this Framework and provide ways we can move towards putting these words to action within our workplaces.

Here are the readings we reference in this episode:

Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being: https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/workplace-well-being/index.html

The American Psychological Association 2022 Work and Well-being Survey results: https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2022/07/workplaces-mental-health-supports

Kahn, William A. (1 December 1990). "Psychological Conditions of Personal Engagement and Disengagement at Work" Academy of Management Journal: https://journals.aom.org/doi/abs/10.5465/256287

Edmondson, Amy (1 June 1999). "Psychological Safety and Learning Behavior in Work Teams" (PDF). Administrative Science Quarterly. https://doi.org/10.2307/2666999

Fredrickson, B. L., Cohn, M. A., Coffey, K. A., Pek, J., & Finkel, S. M. (2008). Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 95(5), 1045–1062. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0013262

Surowiecki, James. The Cult of Overwork. The New Yorker. January 19, 2014.

Imagine this: a workplace that is an engine of well-being, showing workers that they matter, that their work matters, and that they have the resources and support necessary to flourish. This future is imagined in a new report by the U.S. Surgeon General’s office (Dr. Vivek Murthy) entitled: The Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being (https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/workplace-well-being/index.html).

This report offers two things: awareness that our workplaces are not meeting our current needs, particularly as we emerge from this global pandemic and the case for change. And secondly, it provides a foundation that workplaces and practitioners can build upon.

In this episode, Kevin Shah and Amy J. Wilson introduce you to the five components of the Framework:

• Protection from Harm
• Connection and Community
• Work-Life Harmony
• Mattering at Work
• Opportunity for Growth

We also provide some context for how we got to this disconnect in the US today–to explore the past and connect it to the present.

In the end, more structure and equitable access to healing is needed to address these deep seated challenges, and the answer is complex. It’s going to take multiple approaches to solve this big challenge. It’s going to take us to work on the individual, organization, and societal level to really make a dent into this problem we’re seeing. And there’s many facets to this problem.

Over the course of this season, Kevin and Amy will break down the components of this Framework and provide ways we can move towards putting these words to action within our workplaces.

Readings we reference in this episode:

Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being: https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/workplace-well-being/index.html

Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community by Robert D. Putnam: http://bowlingalone.com/

The Big Sort: Why the Clustering of Like-Minded America is Tearing Us Apart by Bill Bishop and Robert G. Cushing: http://www.thebigsort.com/home.php

Changes in dispositional empathy in American college students over time: a meta-analysis by Sara H. Konrath, Edward H O’Brien and Courtney Hsing: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20688954/

Empathy in Action Framework by Amy J. Wilson: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1MIXPzJ23bgIfFV-wbjYGR1nsAhbL8nHWPhgJhwTPamo/edit#slide=id.p24

What makes a 21st century organization?

In our season 2 opener, this is the question we’re asking ourselves. Coming off the heels of a season where we looked at the aspects of the culture we want to change, we’re looking at the things we want to build.

It’s a question that your co-host Amy J. Wilson has been asking for more than a decade, and is the topic that we’re diving into for this season. We’re emerging from the pandemic in an interesting place, where we’re questioning who we are, what we value, and finally if our workplaces are aligned to those values. We’re ready for a change--to have the world around us work more for what we want and desire.

Now that we’re firmly in the first quarter of this century, we think it’s about time that we define this question for ourselves, and change for the better. The question was as relevant then as it is now, and it’s more pressing than ever.

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Amy J. Wilson designs worlds where every person gets what they need, the power to achieve what they want, and the agency to do what they love. She is the bestselling author of Empathy for Change: How to Build a More Understanding World: https://www.amazon.com/Empathy-Change-Create-Understanding-World, a guide to create positive transformation where we work, live, and play. Grab a copy anywhere books are sold or the audiobook on Audible.

Kevin A.K.A Captain Empathy is the Founder and CEO of Jaago (means to wake-up in Hindi). Jaago’s vision is to create a world where people seek to understand one another by making empathy a daily habit. He is a tech leader and IOT (Internet of Things) pioneer and expert. He brings practical experience, lived experience, and his transparent growth journey to the podcast.

Follow:

• Amy at @realamyjwilson or Linktree: https://linktr.ee/empathyinaction
• Kevin at @shahkevin or https://linktr.ee/shahkevin