Ashika Soorju - Mindfulness in the workplace.
Whenever we want to create true lasting change, the place to start is the mind. Being able to effectively handle stress, have clarity, focus, energy and emotional intelligence are some of the best investments we can make in our lives and our businesses. The statistics of our business and the state of our people in the workplace is quite alarming. Every day in many workplaces, time, money and productivity are wasted due to overwhelmed, unfocused and tired teams. My passion is to help corporations with simple , effective , powerful tools that can help us create balance and optimize our effectiveness to keep up with the demands of our increasingly complex world . Occupational Care South Africa (OCSA) has revealed up to 15 % of staff call in sick each day in South Africa, costing the economy R16 billion per annum. However, for every three employees that don’t show up to work, only one is physically ill. A Bloomberg study revealed South Africa was ranked as the second – most stressed country in the world , while a study in 2004 discovered as many as 30 % of South Africans were likely to suffer a mental disorder in their lifetime .Workplace stress is one of the primary causes , as short - term symptoms , like feeling distracted , unable to focus , or depressed , can become more serious over time. Common symptoms of long - term stress include stomach issues, back pain, high - blood pressure and can even lead to permanent mental disorders, including clinical depression. Yet, despite the risks, almost half of South Africans say they cannot take a day off due to their workload. Now that the financial cost of mental sickness has been published, can more South African businesses take steps to protect their employees well - being? I believe that there is more to our jobs than just earning a pay check, more and more people are looking for a greater sense of fulfilment. To know that they are making a meaningful contribution doing work that they spend most of their lives doing every day. What if we could create empowered work forces, what if people felt a greater sense of wellbeing and motivation at work, what if they knew that they had the right to better health, that they are not just a number In their place of work, that the people they worked for actually valued them and appreciated them? I believe that some business have already discovered the secrets to empowering people who drive their business, they empower their people with the skills to leave and treat them well enough to make them stay. This is what makes world leaders and leading economies thrive. Entire nations benefit. This possibility exists for us all, as leaders in our own lives first we have a chance to be the change. As leaders in the work place we have a moral responsibility to take care of ourselves first, we are not able to make choices for the greater good of others if we ourselves as leaders are unable to institute such harmony within ourselves. It is a humble privilege to be able to share this knowledge with corporates in my current profession and a deep sense of fulfilment from seeing people discover their own potential. Employees that feel nurtured in their work environments soar in their in their creative capacity, contribute far more than their job specification asks and become great achievers in their personal and professional lives. In a world where change is the only constant how are we flowing with change? Are we happy with who we are becoming? You are the only one who can create the life you desire . I invite you by my faith in the human spirit to explore the possibility that exists for each and every one of us to empower our workforces from a deeper level of self.
