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We all pay attention to your financial bank accounts—the deposits and withdrawals, the interest and penalties. After all money does the world go round…. But does it?

Are we mindful of our relationships, both at work and at home, that help us become better professional, and human beings. That help us better be at work, and better versions of ourselves?

Are aware of our emotional bank account?

Emotional bank accounts are the investments we make in relationships. The deposits we make when we help some one out, or support them, mentor them, give them a shoulder to lean on. The withdrawals are when we seek help. The balance of the two is our emotional bank account (EBA).

What is Emotional Bank Account?

Stephen Covey (The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People) uses the metaphor of Emotional Bank Account to describe the amount of trust that’s been built up in a relationship. This is one of the most powerful concepts to date on building relationships based on trust. The basic tenet of this simple yet profound principle is that we maintain a personal “emotional” bank account with anyone who works or relates with us.

This concept is powerful because it transcends time, space and hierarchy; that is; it doesn’t matter whether you are the office cleaner, middle, senior management, or the boss. Thus, a kind word from anyone in the office to another person of any level is a deposit. When you do anything nice to anyone in your office without expectation of any good in return, that is a deposit. This includes making a nice cup of coffee for your busy colleague or offering free rides to your colleagues because it’s ‘along the way.’ Also, when you relate to your potential client as a flesh and blood human being rather than your potential bottom line, you are making a deposit.

The deposits do not stop there as it transcends time and space: After work, there are the ‘inner-circle’ people whom we relate to and love. A loving hug and a listening ear for our loved ones is definitely a deposit.

Stephen Covey describes 6 major ways of making deposits on the Emotional Bank Account:

• • Understanding the individual
  •  Attending to little things
  •  Keeping commitments
  •  Clarifying expectations;
  •  Showing personal integrity
  •  Apologizing sincerely when you make a “withdrawal”

What can we learn from the EBA?

What can we take away from the concept of the EBA? We are reminded that people, not material possessions, are the real deal. Walt Disney is right when he says: “You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality”.

Secondly, the EBA reminds us to be ‘other-centered’. Being other-centered is the first step to ‘seeking first to understand, then to be understood.’ If we constantly make deposits into the accounts of everyone whom we interact with everyday, the account (trust) will be healthy and so will the relationship.

When your trust level is high, because you’ve made lots of deposits, communication is almost effortless. You can be yourself, and others understand and appreciate you. Then, when you make mistakes or offend someone unexpectedly, you draw on that reserve and the relationship still maintains a solid level of trust.

Conversely, when you are discourteous, disrespect others, interrupt others, speak sarcastically or ignore others, your emotional bank account becomes overdrawn because you have jeopardized the trust level. When the trust level is low, you have to be very careful of what you say; you tend to be more political.

Gottman concept of emotional bank account

According to the Gottman Institute, a relationship and counseling program who championed the idea of an emotional bank account in relationships, the key is to keep a ratio of 5:1. That’s five deposits for every ONE withdrawal. But that’s just in times of conflict or stress (like bedtime routine!). Otherwise a 20:1 ratio is ideal for everyday interactions! TWENTY!

This 5:1 ratio does suggest that you still need to say and do five positive things for every negative thing, even during an argument.

Emotional Bank Account at Work

When it comes to relationships at work, we make similar kinds of deposits or withdrawals in what is called an Emotional Bank Account (EBA). When the EBA balance is high, so is the resulting level of trust—and so is your ability to achieve the results you’re measured by. When the balance is low, trust plummets, the quality of your work suffers or slows down, and relationships suffer.

Below are the tips to build a strong emotional bank account at work:

1. Never deposit to withdraw – While there are similarities between a traditional bank account and an Emotional Bank Account, you should never accumulate a high emotional balance in order to make planned withdrawals later.

2. Know the other person’s currency – We all have individual forms of currency we’re willing to accept. What amounts to a deposit for one person in the office can be meaningless for another. Take time to learn what the important people in your workplace consider a deposit.

3. Communicate your own currency. You can’t expect people to read your mind. In the fast-paced world of work, it can cost you plenty if you do. Clarify and communicate your expectations before, during, and after every project. Doing so sets everyone up for success.

4. Make small, consistent deposits over time -Relationships grow in security and trust when they are built with frequent, meaningful contributions rather than occasional grand gestures. You need to draw from the deep well of deposits to turn a situation around.

5. Right wrongs: A piece of Eastern wisdom says, if you’re going to bow, bow low. In other words, when you mess up, make a sincere apology. There’s nothing more meaningful than admitting a mistake without making excuses for it. Doing so can be a huge deposit in the EBA of another, and an experience that will build strong trust.

By applying these tips for building healthy Emotional Bank Accounts, you not only develop habits of good character out of the meaningful deposits you make, but you build the kind of security and trust that can weather the mistakes of unintentional withdrawals in the future.

As we approach international women’s day 2020, on 8th March, the theme for which is #EachForEqual, it’s important to understand what it stands for. In an evolving society where gender norms and violence against women are still rampant, it is important to pause and understand why do we celebrate this day? Is it just about women? Is it about feminism?

That is where the values of IWD come in. Let’s see what they are-

1. Justice: Justice here simply means being afforded the same equal rights and opportunities to women as men. Equal opportunity does not mean equal treatment. It means creating a level playing ground when all genders have a right to contribute and grow to the best of their abilities.

2. Dignity: Dignity refers to the idea that all people, irrespective of gender, age, caste & status, have the right to be valued, respected and to receive ethical treatment. This is where work needs to be done on unconscious bias, social conditioning, gender norms and stereotypes. Every one has a right to their opinion and ideas and to voice them. And the organisations need to create a work environment where all voices are heard.

3. Hope: Hope is the essence of life for all humans, looking forward to improvement and growth. Creating career progression policies and career paths that allow for employees of all genders to manage their professional and personal life stages and continue to grow in the organisation is key to this value.

4. Equality: Equality means all people have equal opportunities to make the most of their lives and talents without any discrimination based on their background, gender or status. it is the very core of IWD. Along the employee lifecycle stages- from resume shortlisting to hiring to increments, promotions, learning opportunities, employees from the entire spectrum of diversity should get equal opportunities.

5. Collaboration: IWD calls for collaboration of women across communal and geographical boundaries. Societal mindset and norms cannot change overnight. It requires collective efforts from both men and women, across families, organisations and governments.

6. Tenacity: IWD is the major day for rallying action, driving visibility and applauding women in a resolute & consistent way. Change will take time. It’s a slow burn and will require tenacity and resilience. Hence IWD is not once a year activity, but a celebration of what we do round the year to drive diversity and inclusion.

7. Appreciation: IWD celebrates the achievements of women from all walks of life. Every one likes to be recognised and appreciated for their contribution and achievements, at work and in personal life. Building a culture of recognition and appreciation, based on merit will help drive this value.

8. Respect: Respect for others and respect for self play a central part in forging gender equality. Respect every one- different genders, generations, people from different cultures, different functions, what have you. Every one has a role to play, and every one is a human being first before anything else.

9. Empathy: IWD calls for valuing diversity and caring for all without any biases to forge an inclusive and progressive world. Listen, be present. Build trust and empathy in the team and workplace. Extend support. Building empathy across all levels in the organisation will go a long way in building a cohesive, collaborative, inclusive workforce.

10. Forgiveness: Forgiveness for all the past wrongs is vital to establish inclusiveness under all forms of diversity. Norms and stereotypes have existed and will continue to. It’s only awareness and continued effort that will help bring about change.

These values are the bedrock foundation for an inclusive society. Let’s all join hands to imbibe these values in their true spirit and to celebrate the diversity with an open mind. Hence International Women’s day is not just one day, but a celebration of all the work done in driving the diversity agenda, and a promise of what to do next!

We are in 2020, but Mental Health in India is fast becoming a cause for concern. As per WHO, mental illnesses constitute one sixth of all health-related disorders and India accounts for nearly 15% of global mental disorders. By end of 2020, roughly 20% of India will suffer from some form of mental illness.

Beyond these staggering numbers, it is important to recognize the voids in how mental health is understood and dealt with in our country. The lack of awareness on this subject, the old age-stigma associated with it, lack of trained professionals are reasons for the low priority given to mental healthcare in India.

One never hesitates from taking medication for high blood pressure, diabetes or wait to go to the hospital, if one experiences any physical pain. We do not hesitate in sharing and speaking about our physical ailments with our near and dear ones, family, friends and colleagues. But how often do we seek treatment for mental health issues. Are we comfortable in sharing that we are having anxiety or panic attacks, battle with depression or worse?

We often tend to forget that it is stress and mental issues like depression and anxiety which debilitate our health silently. They are in fact a major reason for most of the above physical illnesses.

In fact, India adopted its first act on mental health care as late as 2017 which covered medical services for people with mental illnesses but did not make provision for awareness on mental health.

Productivity Burden of Mental Illness

There are multiple researches which highlight the impact mental health has on productivity. The WHO has estimated that India alone will suffer economic losses amounting to 1.03 trillion dollars from mental health conditions between 2012 and 2030.

In addition to the direct costs to the economy associated with mental illness, there are many indirect costs which impact productivity. Research reveals that the most stressful thoughts in people’s minds are work related. Factors like job insecurity, challenging targets, performance pressure and even office politics at work lead to increased stress levels which physically, mentally and emotionally drain the employees. And when a person is mentally stressed, it limits her/him functionally. Reduced capacity to focus, handle pressure, respond to change, deal with negative feedback leads to increase in absenteeism and presenteeism – physically being at work but not working, underperformance, overstaffing to cover absences, conflict at work and the personal front. Without appropriate support and medication such employees struggle to manage, call in sick, and at times end up quitting adding to cost related to recruitment and retention.

Approach towards Employee Well Being and Mental Health

Again quoting WHO, mental health as “a state of wellbeing in which every individual realizes his/her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community. “

To realise this aspirational state of affairs, organizations have a key role to play.

Well-being cannot be an isolated program or initiative. Well-being is purpose-driven and woven into the fabric of an organization’s values and the employee experience. It is inextricably linked to policies, programs and benefits as well as to desired culture, productivity improvement, talent retention and sustainability of business at large.

Achieving health in the workplace begins by building and sustaining workplace culture that enhance health and well-being. Robust relationships with managers and colleagues, open communication, level of employee participation, level of responsibility, authority and decision making, optimal workload, flexible working hours, and career development prospects are key factors which define the work culture of an organization. Creation of a healthy company culture begins with top leadership support and includes every level of the management from leaders to line managers.

Regular training and sensitization programs on issues around mental health will help improve awareness on mental health issues. Tools like online courses, videos, and reading materials would improve mental health literacy in the organization and aid people managers to communicate with employees in a more sensitive and empathetic manner.

Beyond the steps taken around prevention, employers should also have in place support for employees showing signs of mental health problems. Identifying early signs and symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression and other mental health problems through monitoring and screening tools, providing forums like Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) can help with diagnosis and treatment on time.  Also, organizations need to provide appropriate forums which encourage employees to share their success stories on dealing with such issues, encourage them to speak about it without inhibitions and come forward to seek help. This would be a critical step aimed at demystifying the stigma around mental health and its treatment.

Having occasional health talks or just doing a health camp will not be enough to move the needle. Organizations need to have well-being programs that are comprehensive and sustainable. Programs that can bring a change in employee behaviours and inculcate habits towards a healthy and stress-free lifestyle. Only then organizations will see a bend in their healthcare cost trends and improvement in work quality and productivity.

When we say comprehensive, the program should help improve well-being of employees around multiple health dimensions- physical, social, emotional and even financial.

Organizations need to understand that stress triggers vary from employee to employee depending on the different life stages they are in. For example, with Millennials and Generation Z entering our workforce and their changing focus from sales targets to aspects like work life balance and value creation, emotional and social wellness are becoming important which focus on being more self-aware, accepting diversity, being inclusive, supporting and collaborating with others. On the other hand, a new mother may seek help on postpartum depression, stress management or seek support through flexible working hours etc.

Organizational support should not end as the employee leaves office. Concerns around family, finances can also be major stress triggers which impact work. Having 24/7 access to counsellors/trainers can help in such situations.

Well-being programs need to be sustainable to see the desired change in the behaviours of its employees. This can be done by introducing programs which encourage continuous communication, engagement of employees and recognition – offering financial incentives for a healthy lifestyle.

From physical infrastructure like in house gyms, on campus doctors/pharmacy, nap rooms, standing desks, to offering healthy meals, introducing flexible policies, running awareness sessions/campaigns, having in house counsellors, it is heartening to see how some organizations have taken major strides in their journey towards the overall well-being of their employees. With the challenges of today’s VUCA environment (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity), and increased levels of stress, mental wellbeing of employees will continue to be a focus area for organizations in years to come. However it will take a comprehensive and sustained approach to deal with it holistically and effectively.

Since its initial entry in the corporate world, diversity and inclusion has acquired a considerable following. The importance of D&I in organizational context has increased manifold and policies & practices around D&I are becoming almost ubiquitous in the current organizational setup.

There are many misconceptions around this topic that are still doing the rounds. Myths that are being relied on, in the upbeat pursuit of diversity and inclusion. We all would agree that when dealing with incomplete information or lack of understanding on this topic, implementation becomes undeniably difficult. To create a lasting impact, it is important organizations do not bank on common misperceptions but ensure that their journey is fact based.

Some Common Myths

1.   Diversity and inclusion are the same

Often diversity and inclusion are used together and are considered having the same meaning. Both these words are interwoven when we think about creating a diverse and inclusive environment and are repeatedly used interchangeably. Though these are correlated, but we fail to acknowledge them as different concepts and the distinct nuances each of these words bring with them.

Diversity is all about human differences in terms of traits like age, race, gender, religion, physical disability, religion, sexual orientation etc. In an organization, it is often assessed in terms of quantity like share of women in the workforce, generational ratio in teams, percentage of PwDs & LGBTQ in different functions, number of women in leadership and so on.

Inclusion on the other hand is a cultural and environmental feeling of belonging. It is the extent to which employees feel accepted, valued and appreciated in the organization. If diversity is about quantity, inclusion is about quality. It is about implementing practices, fostering a culture and changing mindsets to make people from different backgrounds feel safe, comfortable and respected.

While diversity and inclusion are not the same but are incomplete without one another. Diversity without inclusion is not justified, and inclusion without diversity is simply hypothetical.

2.   D&I is the responsibility of HR

Driving the agenda of Diversity and Inclusion is habitually deemed to be the responsibility of the human resources function. Organizations need to understand whether steering D&I is just a HR initiative or is it truly essential for the growth of business. Leaders who acknowledge this difference and envisage its benefits ensure that driving D&I becomes a part of the DNA of the organization, a business strategy and not merely a HR program. It should be a leadership priority which is embraced by all. It must be the shared responsibility of leaders, managers, supervisors and employees to value diverse employees and make them feel included.

Further, having understood the essence of driving D&I across the organization, it would be unrealistic for HR alone, with limited team and resources to be put up against monumental challenges of bringing in changes in the culture and mindset of an entire organization. It is important for everyone and most importantly leaders, to not just endorse but engage in this entire process.

3.   Diversity is all about women and minorities in the workplace

When most of us talk of diversity and the initiatives which support it, we limit our thoughts to only gender and minorities. According to Gallup report 2018, diversity is “the full spectrum of human differences”. Hence, it is not restricted to gender or a certain set of minority groups, but covers other dimensions of diversity like age, disability, ethnic background and also invisible traits like marital status, sexual orientation, background and mindset.

Acknowledging all forms of diversity is important to comprehend how they manifest in the organization and impact its ethos and practices. Being mindful of the fact that every organization is at a different stage in its D&I journey, each facet of diversity has a unique bearing on the culture of the organization. Hence, we need to broaden our view and recognize how diversity will enable organizations to foster a more collaborative workplace.

4.   Diversity is a pipeline problem

We often hear that challenges in bringing on board diverse employees is a pipeline problem because there is lack of skilled and qualified candidates from the underrepresented groups in the market, including women, members of the LGBTQ community, people with disabilities or any other minority group in focus.  It is true to some extent that some minorities are underrepresented in higher education, particularly in STEM field. But real reasons like recruitment biases confronted by them at the time of hiring, hostile work environment and unfair treatment at work cannot be overlooked. These are the main reason for their attrition and making the pipeline leaky in the first place. Hence, to say that there simply aren’t any skilled candidates in the market is a misconception. It is incorrect for lack of diversity to be reduced to a pipeline problem.

Organizations need to work on these prejudices and introduce inclusive processes and practices to fix the leaky pipeline.

5.   Diversity means lowering the bar or violating meritocracy

One of the most commonly cited rationales against D&I is that companies are meritocratic and to be diverse will have to compromise the quality of the people they are hiring. In such scenarios, companies mistake uniformity for quality. By citing meritocracy as a justification for hiring, employers try to match the candidates with existing majority and are unwillingly to look for talent from less common sources. So, in reality, meritocracy intentionally or unintentionally perpetuates bias and discrimination as the assessment methods used for hiring, compensation, promotion etc are rife with subjectivity. Hence, it is not completely wrong to say that it is the other way round – At times, meritocracy leads to lower levels of diversity!

Organizations need to think beyond meritocracy, evaluate the benefits of diversity and assess candidates and employees against more concrete, non-discriminatory indicators of performance. This will ensure that their staff is both diverse and high quality simultaneously.

By doing away with these fallacies, organizations can accept diversity and inclusion, not as a problem but as an opportunity. Opportunity to build a significantly diverse and inclusive workplace which can give them the edge as an employer of choice and the ability to be innovative and drive profitable decision making.

I have always been a chubby girl with the so called “Pear shaped body”. I am not perfect, never was and perhaps never will be. Growing up, I always came across people passing comments, sometimes with concern, sometimes just out of sheer pity and sometimes to make fun. I can clearly recall my college time when my friends use to make fun, sometime I would just ignore it, sometime cry or sometimes just snap. And when I look back, it was not the disparaging looks of strangers that hurt the most. They did, but what hurt the most was comments from family, friends and neighbours, supposedly loving aunts and cousins, who wrote me off simply because I was not shaped the way an ideal girl should be! Or who took pleasure in making fun of an adolescent or a teenager who was anyways confused with the physical and hormonal changes!

And if we think gone are those days, we are mistaken. Our firm recently conducted a self awareness program at a leading company in Gurgaon, where a very bright, ambitious young woman aspired to lose weight so that she could get a good guy. She compared herself to two of her cousins who were very slim and that’s why got married to good looking guys!

Have you read the matrimonial section lately? If not, do it for fun. Most of the ads for wanted grooms will read like this “Looking for a suitable match for fair, slim, very beautiful, convent educated, manglik girl”, and for brides be like “High Status family invites alliances for their handsome, smart, tall boy looking for slim, beautiful, fair, homely and convent educated girl. These advertisements itself say a lot about how matrimonial ads reflect prejudices we wear on our sleeves.

It’s interesting that the society still has a notion of an ideal body image! Well let me not be biased. Men go through it too. Size Zero for women is equivalent to 6 packs for men!

So let me callout the elephant in the room!

‘Body Shaming’ –not a new phrase, these two words itself say a lot about their intent. It has, in fact, become a serious issue in our society today. Technically, Body shaming is defined as ‘inappropriate, negative statements and attitudes toward another person’s weight or size’. But, it is so much more than just that. It is one of the most serious forms of bullying, harassment and humiliation and usually experienced by both men and women. The degree might vary, but both genders are victims here.

According to a survey conducted by the department of mental health and behavioral sciences, Fortis Healthcare, among 1,244 women aged between 15 to 45 years across eight Indian cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and 47.5% women reported having experienced body shaming at their school or workplace, and in 32.5% of the cases it was their close friend who made negative remarks.

In case of men, The Yahoo’s Health Body Survey conducted on a nationally representative sample of 2,000 people between the ages of 13 and 64, found that 70 percent of males are either body positive (they love the way their bodies look) or body neutral (they’re OK with the way their bodies look and have made peace with imperfections) their whole lives. As they age, men tend to become less body positive and more body neutral.

Society’s Patriarchal hangover

We live in a society that is obsessed with everything “right”. Fat is bad, dark is ugly, thin is sick. These “Too much” and “Not enough” and “Wish I had” attitudes are something that we cultivate about our bodies each and every day.Even though body shaming affects both men and women, it is an extra stressful baggage for women in a patriarchal society like India. A boy is expected to be tall and muscular with a physique which makes him appear strong. A girl in India is expected to be thin, fair skinned, short with a skin which has zero acnes and body hair. If someone falls out of this category (like most people do because we are humans), they are criticized and constantly advised to improve their looks.

India’s skin whitening market is expected to achieve annual market revenue of $720 million by 2023. The products have long been marketed as the savior for unmarried women to find grooms, or to land good jobs — and for married women to keep them, or for working women to reach the top. Interestingly, most organizations that manufacture and sell these products have robust Diversity and inclusion programs! The hypocrisy amuses me.

Role of Media

Most of us are potential victims of “body shaming” by virtue of the enviable “perfect”image portrayed by Bollywood and other communication mediums. Media has played a significant role in promoting the culture of body shaming, considering all the fake and nearly impossible to attain beauty standards that Bollywood has set over the years. We being the social media addict generation just post a negative comment and think that it won’t harm anyone, we often overlook the fact that the remark won’t change their bodies, but it has the power to affect someone so extremely, it can get them depressed.One of our senior colleagues shared-“I had just opened my facebook account and connected with some of my old friends, when an ex-colleague made a comment on how I had put on weight over the years….something like -its two of you in the picture. Well I had put on weight after two kids, but that comment publicly humiliated me, and I unfriended the person.”

The number of columns, articles and tips on how to lose weight is not funny. Well, I am not against fitness. We all need to lead a healthy and fit life, but am not sure if all the good advice is for fitness reasons!

How it affects you and the society

Schools and workplaces are where mostly people tend to experience body shaming, and more often than not it is friends who tend to make negative comments on their weight, body shape and skin tone and hair quality among others.Our Managing Partner’s 7 year old daughter goes to a reputed school in Delhi. Apparently there is an exclusive group in the section where only well to do good looking girls are part of the group…I mean they are 7! Is it parent led? Media led?

Such exclusion can lead to inferiority complex, lowered confidence, eating disorders and other such issues. It can cause insecurities leading to troubled relationships. There are chances that the targets may feel too self-conscious and withdraw from social situations.

How to deal with it

Nothing else matters- Your opinion of yourself is the only opinion that counts. Everything else doesn’t really matter. Easier said than done, but practice thinking, speaking and behaving like you are your favorite!

Know when to walk away- If a conversation you’re involved in doesn’t make you feel good, leave. Walk away from anyone who doesn’t bring positivity to your life.

Encourage empathy- Spread empathy. Everybody is living with something they can’t tell you about, everybody has a story. Like my Partner’s daughter started a “kindness group” in school to counter the “exclusive beauty group”.

Inspire- Inspire others to have the guts to stand up and speak. Inspire others to live the life with the freedom of diversity.Speakup and stop those who have a tendency to make insensitive remarks- be it a relative or close friend. Let them know that no one is entitled to make a comment on how you look.

A lot of people have realized this and hence there are movements happening around self awareness, self esteem and loving yourself. Rihanna has launched a lingerie collection which consists lingerie of all sizes and wants to promote body positivity. Closer to home, actresses like Vidya Balan and Sonakshi Sinha are beautiful examples of women who did not let the size zero stereotype rule their careers. The song ‘Shameless’ by Youtuber Prajakta Koli brilliantly convinced girls to be shameless in this body shaming world.

End of the day, everyone is beautiful in their own unique way. Beauty does not have a type. We create our own type. So let’s just fall in love with ourselves.

It is interesting to see the evolution of the workforce and their belief system.A recent Gallup study found that only 29 percent of millennial say that they feel engaged at work. It is always not about Ping Pong tables and Beer Cart Fridays, 76 % of millennial & Zillenials are extremely concerned about the larger purpose that their organization is working towards and want to see a higher sense of social responsibility in organizational culture and intent.

One of these is about conserving our planet and natural resources.

At a recent training program, one of our activities involved crushing paper into balls and throwing them. One of the participants was extremely displeased about the wastage of paper and refused to participate in the activity. A wake up call for us.

In another meeting, one of the client team members refused to discard her paper coffee cup…said she will recycle it for another round.

Facts & Data

1.    Close to 90 percent of millennials would consider taking a pay cut to work at a company whose mission and values align with their own, according to an Entrepreneur article.

2.    A Nielsen poll found that 73 percent of millennials worldwide are willing to pay more for sustainable products.

3.    Among Zillenials, 94 percent believe companies should address urgent social and environmental issues, compared to 87 percent of millennials and 86 percent of the general population, according to a Cone Communications 2017 study.

4.    According to a WeSpire 2018 survey, Gen Z is the first generation to prioritize purpose over money.

5.    Gen Z is also far more aware of the environmental impact of their purchases than the generations before them according to a CSG study.

Go Green Agenda

Going green means to live life in a way that is friendly to the environment and the earth as a whole. It could also mean contributing towards maintaining the natural ecological balance in the environment and preserving the planet and its natural systems and resources. Overall, people who go green take steps to minimize the harm that they do to the environment, such as the carbon footprints they leave behind.

If you want to get ahead in business these days, it’s not enough to have a great product and a desire to make it big. It’s also essential to understand the evolving needs of your customers and employees, who are looking for products and organizations respectively that are driving a bigger purpose, one of which could be to be environment friendly.

1.    Providing A healthy work environment could include providing green spaces, natural products, healthy food options, reducing plastic usage, using bio-degradable materials and so on. Provide filtered water instead of bottled water.

2.    Builds employer brand and profitability- With green initiatives increasing in popularity, economic studies have shown that companies utilizing green technology and selling green products are seeing an increase in profits. Companies such as Wal-Mart and Target have incorporated green changes such as composting and recycling, changing transportation routes to save gas, reducing packaging, and stocking their shelves with greener products. As a result, these companies have seen customers respond positively to the changes, with green product sales alone jumping somewhere around 20 percent.

3.    Small changes lead to better ways of working- Going green can improve the overall efficiency of a business. Reducing unnecessary waste can trim operating costs for the business. for example,turning off lights in vacant offices can save energy, save on utility costs and increase the company’s bottom line. Printing less cuts down on paper usage, and can lower the budget spent on printing materials. Refilling ink cartridges instead of throwing them away is another money-saving practice, since it saves money on the purchase of new cartridges, and it also reduces the amount of plastic thrown away from the cartridge and packaging. Placing recycling bins in each of your common work and meeting areas sends the message to employees and visitors to your offices that you take environmental responsibility seriously

4.    Reduce Travel and use technology- Meetings are an important part of doing business and global businesses means travel. If you want to attend conferences or meet potential clients outside your immediate area, you have to hop a plane or take a long drive. Travel not only cuts into your business’ bottom line, it has a negative impact on the planet.Instead of going to a conference to network, schedule a webinar and get your customers to join you online, saving everyone money and reducing carbon emissions. Learn to interact with your clients on video chat, since it can bring similar face-to-face benefits as an in-person meeting.

According to the Cox Conserves Sustainability Survey of small & medium-sized businesses (SMBs), 65 percent of SMBs are committed to increasing their eco-friendly activities, and 60 percent said that cost reduction and company values were the top factors driving investment in sustainability.

By addressing environmental concerns, businesses can work towards creating a more sustainable future. Whether companies start green initiatives at work, or bring about change on an international scale, every step taken towards a greener future is one worth investing in. So, the whole idea is to involve everyone in these changes so that the whole business is aware of the priority you place on environmental responsibility and to build a culture of conservation.

At a recent session on gender bias and its impact of team performance, I had a participant speak up the following- “We understand gender diversity is important and all that, but don’t you guys take it too far? I mean, women get all the privileges anyways don’t they, It’s us men who need support now!”

In that one statement he had slotted me as the harbinger of corporate feminism… But, I was glad he spoke! Isn’t it this that needs to be solved anyways…

I engaged further and he quoted the following examples-

1.     A lady team member proceeds on maternity leave for 6 months, and possibly for longer if she wishes to utilize her other accumulated leave, or in case she requests for a special sanction for special reasons. Now, the team leader and the team are saddled with additional work of one more resource for a longish period of time, and of course, we can’t drop any ball. It gets stressful for sure….so if a team leader does not wish to increase the number of female team members, is he really wrong?

2.     A second instance where a male manager now fears giving performance feedback to a lady team member in a cabin, alone, because he fears a harassment allegation?

There were several more, but let’s stay with these two since they are linked to recent legislations. Are the maternity benefit act and the POSH (Prevention Of Sexual Harassment) act wrong?

What really is the issue here?

In my view, these are both very well intentioned and much required legislations. However, it is the maturity with which they are implemented that might fall short. If these end up being divisive policies, they would only end up widening the gap and creating a men vs women battle.

For instance, what does the organization do to help a team leader with resource planning while the female team member is on maternity leave? How the does the organization support and recognize team members who take on additional responsibility? How does the organization ensure that the lady on leave does not lose her position or get a poor rating simply because she is on leave.

Or  how does the organization instill awareness among its male and female workforce on what is POSH or how does it instill confidence of being ‘fair and just’ in its implementation? Are it’s managers truly trained to handle queries raised? Is the committee comprising of individuals who can conduct a thorough and fair investigation?

More importantly- the act starts with the work “Prevention”. What is being done to prevent the cases?

Just compliance is not enough. Organizations need to put enablers around these in place. Only then these legislations will aid in the journey of building an inclusive workforce.

Otherwise we will keep grappling with such questions and this will end us as men vs women (already is), as opposed to Men & Women against gender bias!

Author: Soncia Aron

You can also read the article here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-should-agenda-gender-diversity-devolve-battle-men-sonica-aron/