What’s a Wellbeing Economy – and How Can We Join In?What’s a Wellbeing Economy – and How Can We Join In?

Stories from the Hearth

Watch the full session from Hearth Summit Athens.

Quick Reads

A wellbeing economy redefines success by prioritizing happiness, health, and community wellbeing over only focusing on financial growth.
Sustainability is at the heart of a wellbeing economy, ensuring that environmental care is a key focus for future generations.
Strong social connections and mental health support are essential in a wellbeing economy, shaping communities that prioritize human wellbeing.
You can contribute to a wellbeing economy by supporting local businesses, advocating for change, and promoting sustainable living.

The concept of a wellbeing economy is catching on as people seek alternatives to our current economic system, which often prioritizes profits over people and the planet. Imagine an economy that puts happiness, health, and the environment at the forefront of progress!

In this guide, we’ll explore what makes up a wellbeing economy, how it stands apart from the traditional models, and some easy steps you can take to start embracing it in your own life and community. These insights come from the recent Hearth Summit in Athens, where wellbeing economists Lorenzo Fiaromonti, former Italian Minister of Education in Italy and Founding Director of the Institute for Sustainability at the University of Surrey, and Conchita Galdon, Vice Dean, Instituto de Empressa, answered the big questions around wellbeing economies: Are they realistic? Do they work? How can we build them in practice?

Take a look at what a wellbeing economy is, how it can drive sustainability, and how everyone can benefit from it.

1. Rethinking What Success Means

In a wellbeing economy, success isn’t just about GDP numbers and stock market charts. Instead, it’s measured by how well we connect with each other, how healthy our communities are, and how we take care of our planet. It’s about valuing happiness and quality of life just as much as financial returns.

2. Earth-Friendly at its Heart

Environmental care is a core value of the wellbeing economy. This means focusing on practices that protect and nurture our planet, unlike the traditional systems that sometimes overlook environmental costs. By weaving sustainable practices into daily life, a wellbeing economy helps ensure we leave a healthier planet for future generations.

3. Fostering Social Ties and Mental Health

At the heart of a wellbeing economy is recognizing the significance of social interaction and mental health. Unlike the sometimes isolating nature of modern lifestyles, this model promotes designing cities and work environments that help us connect with others and maintain good mental health.

4. Supporting Your Local Scene

A wellbeing economy thrives on supporting local businesses and community endeavours, moving away from the big corporate dominance seen in traditional economies. Emphasizing local commerce not only reinforces cultural identity but also boosts local employment, creating resilient communities connected by mutual support.

5. Policies That Promote Real Wellbeing

In a wellbeing economy, policies are crafted to integrate wellbeing indicators into all levels of economic planning. This means placing priorities on health, education, and community development alongside economic metrics to foster a more balanced and equitable society.

Getting Started with the Wellbeing Economy

Here are some simple ways you can begin embracing a wellbeing economy:

Shop Local and Green: Opt for local and environmentally-friendly products, supporting businesses that care about the planet and community welfare.
Join Community Initiatives: Get involved in local projects focused on enhancing social bonds and sustainability—your involvement can make a real difference!
Speak Up for Change: Advocate for policies that emphasize wellbeing and sustainability, making sure your voice is part of the conversation.
Spread the Word: Share information about the wellbeing economy, encouraging friends and family to think about more sustainable and satisfying ways of living.

A wellbeing economy is less about drastic upheavals and more about finding joy and sustainability in our daily lives. Embracing this shift can lead to a world where people, communities, and the environment all prosper together. With each small step we take—individually and collectively—we move closer to a more balanced and fulfilling world. So why not start today and see how you can make a positive impact?

Wellbeing economies, business for good, and sustainability are key topics that are explored at the Hearth Summits taking place around the world. Want to join in? Discover the gatherings taking place near you.

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The World Will Not Change Unless We Change OurselvesThe World Will Not Change Unless We Change Ourselves

Stories from the Hearth

Reflections From:

Kotaro Aoki

Co-Founder and Chairmain, KOTOWARI
🌍 Tokyo, Japan

As a new endeavor, we will be holding Hearth Summit Kyoto at the end of this year. As we look for young people to join us on the journey to the summit, let me share my personal background and talk about my own journey so far. This journey began in the Himalayas in India.

Surrounded by mountains that are silent and devoid of any sign of life, where the wisdom of the East is stored, I spent my days training. After studying philosophy at a liberal arts university in the United States, I worked in global investment, and then I set off on a journey of wandering. Through my travels, I realized that the roots of the problems that are prevalent in the world lie in the framework of civilization and human consciousness that have existed for hundreds of years.

This realization turned into conviction through my journey to the wisdom of the world, past and present, and my days of training in the Himalayas. No matter how much the framework of society is reformed, if the consciousness of people who aspire to change does not change, the same problems will be repeated. Above all, the world will not change unless we change ourselves. I was struck by the true meaning of Mahatma Gandhi’s adage, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

After returning to Japan a few years ago, I began to give back to society the fruits of my journey. Since last year, my work has expanded beyond generations and borders to connect with the world. Through the management of the retreat “Gandhi 3.0” in India and the “KUNI Initiative” co-run by Haruo Miyagi, leaders in philosophy, religion, politics and business have come together to create a global solidarity that aims to create a new society rooted in inner transformation.

While the world around us is facing a worsening crisis, at the same time, there are strong signs of the birth of a new worldview. We will build the future of society on a foundation of wisdom that will not change over the ages. There must be a way in which the pursuit of personal truth and happiness and the efforts to improve society as a whole can coexist without contradiction. Pioneers who embody this kind of future are beginning to appear around the world.

Global leaders who are at the forefront of this exploration will gather in Japan to create the future of society together with the younger generation. Driven by this vision, this project was born. I look forward to meeting young colleagues who will join me in exploring the future of Japan and the world.

Kotaro Aoki

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Cultivating the Next Generation of Leaders With Wisdom From JapanCultivating the Next Generation of Leaders With Wisdom From Japan

Stories from the Hearth

Reflections From:

Haruo Miyagi

Former President, ETIC (Entrepreneurial Training for
Innovative Communities)
🌍 Tokyo, Japan

For nearly 30 years, I have been involved in nurturing the next generation of leaders. A few years ago, when I retired as the representative of ETIC., which was the foundation of my work, I began to explore the world by broadening the time and space axes, and I had the opportunity to connect with Indigenous communities around the world, which have a history of several thousand years. There, I learned from their ancient worldview and have been working to support them.

As a result of this, I have been meeting more and more world leaders who are seeking new worldviews across America, Europe, and Asia. They seem to have the same deep expectations for Japan as I do for the wisdom of indigenous peoples. Their expectations go beyond mere respect for a different culture with a long history, and they are looking to Japan for the possibility of finding hints for the future.

Since last year, I have been inviting world leaders to Japan with Kotaro Aoki, and we have been talking about the future while making pilgrimages to various places. Overseas leaders who are successful in capitalism in Western society but feel its limitations are looking for a future of creative civilization that transcends East and West. By engaging in dialogue with participants from overseas in Japan, I feel that new possibilities are opening up.

Historically, leaders have taken the lead in solving urgent social needs. I have worked with leaders in my career, and many of them have started companies and brought about change in society through services and products. However, as the younger generation of leaders face today’s world challenges, they are faced with the barriers of thought and action that humanity has accumulated over the past few hundred years. Many people feel that it will be difficult to fundamentally solve the problems if we continue within the traditional framework.

Against this backdrop, the next generation of leaders is being asked to look at the world from an infinitely broader and deeper perspective and to have an integrated view of themselves and the world. This is a new attempt in the history of humanity, and world leaders are just beginning to explore it. Aaron Pereira, Co-Lead of The Wellbeing Project, one of such global exploration networks, contacted us, and we decided to organize Hearth Summit Kyoto.

The summit in Kyoto will be a rare opportunity for young people from around the world to come together and envision the future together without being bound by existing frameworks. Through this project to create this summit together, we hope to accompany young leaders on their quest and contribute to the creation of a new society. I sincerely look forward to meeting young people who share the same vision for this project and are willing to work together to build the future.

Haruo Miyagi

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From Bilbao to Dhaka: Murad Ansary’s Mission for Mental Health From Bilbao to Dhaka: Murad Ansary’s Mission for Mental Health

STORIES FROM THE HEARTH

A CONVERSATION WITH:

Murad Ansary

Founder and CEO, Psycure
🌍 Dhaka, Bangladesh

The wellbeing for social change movement is growing around the world! What does it look like in Bangladesh?

Murad Ansary, founder and CEO of Psycure, attended the first global summit on wellbeing for social change, held in Bilbao, Spain, in 2022, as one of the delegates representing Bangladesh. Two years later, a regional summit was held in his hometown of Dhaka — the first in Asia — bridging the global conversation on wellbeing with the local reality in Bangladesh. In this interview, Murad reflects on his stimulating experiences at both Summits, discussing the lasting impacts of the Summits on his work to help sure accessible mental healthcare for everyone in Bangladesh.

Murad at the global summit in Bilbao, Spain, in 2022 (left) and the regional summit in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in 2024 (right).

“Since the Bilbao summit, I’ve been working with my community to ensure better mental health systems.

In Bangladesh, we don’t have many mental health professionals, with only thousands for 160 million people. And 90% of the professionals are practicing in the capital.

I’m leveraging everything I learned at Bilbao to connect with my community and address these issues, making mental health services more accessible and affordable for everyone.

What was your experience like at the first global summit for wellbeing for social change, held in Bilbao, Spain, in 2022?

My experience at the first global summit in Bilbao was really amazing. There are a couple of reasons why I enjoyed it so much. First of all, the diverse perspectives were very enriching. They didn’t only focus on health; they covered mental health, emotional wellbeing, and spiritual wellbeing. The sessions were filled with innovative ideas and approaches to enhance wellbeing. It was fascinating to learn about the cutting-edge research and practical applications from around the world showcase showcasing the latest advancements in the field. Additionally, the workshops were engaging and helped me connect with numerous people from different backgrounds. This exposure was a new experience for me, helping me understand how the world approaches and solves various problems. The networking opportunities were invaluable, allowing me to hear from renowned speakers and learn about their journeys and approaches to problem-solving. Especially memorable were the cultural diversity sessions, which included networking events beside the river and explorations of Bilbao city. We witnessed some novel theater performances that depicted mental health conditions and struggles. This unique approach left a lasting impression on me, offering a perspective that plain content might not have been able to achieve. Overall, it made my experience at the summit truly memorable.

The first regional summit in Bangladesh was held in Dhaka in March 2024. What was that experience like for you?

The Wellbeing Summit Dhaka 2024 was a motivating experience for me. I was excited and a bit tense since it was happening in my country: it had to be the best! We represented our local folks and traditions, showcasing our spiritual, mental, and emotional wellbeing in unique ways. We managed to create a holistic approach, not just focused on mental health but encompassing broader aspects of wellbeing. This regional focus allowed for a more tailored discussion on solutions relevant to Bangladesh, emphasizing community engagement and collaborative opportunities, despite limited resources.

This regional focus allowed for a more tailored discussion on solutions relevant to Bangladesh, emphasizing community engagement and collaborative opportunities, despite limited resources.

https://youtu.be/FPU42Fyh1Dg

What similarities or differences did you see between the global summit in Bilbao and the regional summit held in Dhaka?

Both summits embraced a holistic approach. We engaged the community, there were collaborative opportunities, and we discussed policies and advocacy.

The primary difference was the context. The global summit addressed wellbeing issues on a broader international scale, while the Dhaka summit focused specifically on the unique challenges and opportunities within Bangladesh. This regional focus allowed for a more tailored discussion on culturally relevant solutions and available resources. The global summit had access to a wide range of resources, including international experts, while the Dhaka summit highlighted innovative ways that local organizations and individuals are making impactful changes despite limited resources.

The global summit had access to a wide range of resources, including international experts, while the Dhaka summit highlighted innovative ways that local organizations and individuals are making impactful changes despite limited resources.

Which summit did you prefer?

Both were crucial to me. The local summit was significant because it was part of my country. That’s definitely why it was the best. But Bilbao was the most amazing since it was my first international summit. This gave me the opportunity to meet people from different cultures and gain diverse experiences. So, while Dhaka was best for local relevance, Bilbao remains the most memorable.

What has your wellbeing for social change journey been like since you attended the wellbeing summit in Bilbao in 2022?

Since the Bilbao summit, I’ve been working with my community to ensure better mental health systems. You might be surprised to know that in Bangladesh, we don’t have many mental health professionals, with only thousands for 160 million people. And 90% of the professionals are practicing in the capital. So practicing outside of Dhaka is a very big challenge.

When I joined Bilbao, there were people from different parts of the world also working on this issue. They are also going through this. I heard their stories. I asked, “If you’re going through that kind of problem, what was your approach? How do you track all this? How do you collaborate with other people? How do you manage the funding?”

I’m leveraging everything I learned at Bilbao to connect with my community and address these issues, making mental health services more accessible and affordable for everyone. Our vision is to provide mental health services that anyone can access from anywhere at their convenient time.

What is your opinion of the wellbeing for social change movement in Bangladesh after attending the summit in Dhaka?

The movement in Bangladesh adopts a comprehensive approach, addressing physical, mental, emotional, and social wellbeing. This holistic strategy is crucial for fostering sustainable and impactful solutions for change. The summit highlighted numerous grassroots initiatives that empower local communities to take charge of their wellbeing. This bottom-up approach is effective, ensuring culturally relevant and community-driven solutions.

The wellbeing for social change movement in Bangladesh is a promising path. The increasing dedication, innovation, and collaborative efforts observed at the Dhaka summit reinforce my belief that this movement will continue to significantly improve lives across the country. I’m really excited to see how this initiative evolves and contributes to a healthier and more equitable society.

About Murad

Murad Ansary is an International award-winning mental health entrepreneur and a Clinical Psychologist from Bangladesh. He is the founder and CEO of Psycure, a one-stop digital solution platform for Mental Health and Emotional wellbeing. He is a Mental health development professional with 5+ years of experience in community development

Murad is a Z Zurich Scholar, Speaker & Ambassador of One Young World Summit, delegates of “The Wellbeing Summit for Social Change” in Bilbao, Spain, and “Bangladesh Youth Leadership Summit” where he brought attention to the mental healthcare industry of Bangladesh and sought support to improve its condition. He is very passionate about addressing problems to improve mental well-being and enable social equity. Murad is also an editor of a psycho-fiction book titled ‘Mono Jogoter Aadhar Alo’ (Light in the Psyche of Darkness), which encourages youth to seek help

For his outstanding work on mental health, he won various prestigious national and international awards, including the Joy Bangla Youth Award-2020 and Bangabandhu Innovation Grant-2021 from the Bangladesh Government, the Young Global Changemaker Award-2021, and The Diana Award-2022. He has also been featured in renowned newspapers and television media at home and abroad.

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Cómo el Bienestar Organizacional Inspira el Desempeño: Lecciones del Sector de Cambio Social Cómo el Bienestar Organizacional Inspira el Desempeño: Lecciones del Sector de Cambio Social

Stories from the Hearth

Publicación invitada de:

Ricardo Paz

People & Culture Elder, The Wellbeing Project
🌍 Bogotá, Colombia

Lectura rápida

The Wellbeing Project, junto con ocho organizaciones de todo el mundo, el Instituto Tavistock y el Center for Healthy Minds estuvieron cinco años investigando el valor del bienestar organizacional y cómo fomentarlo.
Aprendieron que cualquier organización, pública o privada, puede beneficiarse de promover el bienestar organizacional: mejora el desempeño de los empleados, lo que se traduce en un mejor desempeño organizacional.
Además, todos estuvieron de acuerdo en que era menos costoso invertir en el bienestar organizacional que no hacerlo.
Cultivar el bienestar organizacional es un proceso continuo, dinámico y de largo plazo, pero el valor agregado para los empleados, su organización y su comunidad vale la pena.

Ricardo (izquierda) habla en Hearth Summit Bogotá, compartiendo los hallazgos del Programa Exploratorio Organizacional (OEP) de The Wellbeing Project.

En mayo, tuve el placer de presentar en el Hearth Summit Bogotá, que se centró en el bienestar y los negocios sostenibles. En este evento, la sostenibilidad se exploró de tres maneras:

Trabajo sostenible: centrado en el bienestar de los empleados y el balance vida-trabajo

Negocio sostenible: centrado en la producción y el consumo sostenibles dentro de las empresas

Ecosistemas sostenibles: centrándose en cómo las empresas pueden tener impactos sociales y medioambientales positivos

La audiencia estaba formada por cientos de líderes del sector empresarial: directores ejecutivos, gerentes, expertos y otros se unieron en el Hearth Summit para tomar medidas colectivas y cambiar la cultura corporativa hacia una de bienestar y desempeño.

Me sentí agradecido de compartir los aprendizajes del sector social sobre cómo al promover el bienestar dentro de las organizaciones se conduce a un mayor desempeño.

No soy el único que piensa en la importancia del bienestar de los empleados: la Organización Mundial de la Salud ha clasificado el burnout como un problema de salud ocupacional dada la magnitud de casos presentados. Múltiples estudios en todo el mundo muestran un aumento del burnout en organizaciones de todo tipo. Gallup ha estimado las pérdidas globales por ausentismo, rotación y agotamiento en 322.000 millones de dólares. ¡Mil millones!

La situación es clara: las organizaciones deben centrar su atención en el bienestar de sus empleados. Pero ¿cómo pueden hacer esto?

En el Hearth Summit Bogotá, compartí los aprendizajes de un Programa Exploratorio Organizacional (OEP, por sus siglas en inglés) de cinco años que The Wellbeing Project cocreó con ocho organizaciones de todo el mundo: de Brasil, Canadá, China, Egipto, Mozambique, Pakistán, Senegal y Estados Unidos.

Con el Instituto Tavistock de Relaciones Humanas y el Centro para Mentes Saludables proporcionando apoyo en investigación y metodología, buscamos trabajar con estas ocho organizaciones para desarrollar un marco efectivo para apoyar el bienestar organizacional de manera participativa, basado en evidencia empírica.

Los aprendizajes de estas ocho organizaciones sociales pueden ser útiles para organizaciones de otros sectores, tanto públicos como privados, ya que comparten un mensaje común: el bienestar de los empleados de cualquier organización lleva a un mejor desempeño y, por lo tanto, a un mejor desempeño de las organizaciones y del ecosistema que las rodea. En resumen: el bienestar inspira el desempeño.

Pero ¿cómo pueden las organizaciones crear una cultura de bienestar? Compartí tres aprendizajes clave de OEP con agentes de cambio en Bogotá:

1. Crea tu propia definición y visión de bienestar.

La definición de bienestar organizacional puede ser muy diferente para una organización que para otra, así como a nivel individual. Por esta razón, es relevante hacer una definición de manera participativa con todos o la mayoría de los involucrados. Esto significa que será un proceso lento, de largo plazo, con una visión estratégica, de acuerdo con los retos, objetivos y entorno de cada organización.

2. Dar pequeños pasos, llegarás lejos.

De esta forma, es necesario centrarse en unas primeras y pequeñas acciones para avanzar poco a poco en un plan de trabajo que evidencie avances y refuerce la evolución de la organización. La idea es que, a la hora de tomar decisiones estratégicas, se tengan en cuenta las necesidades de las personas involucradas en todos los niveles de la organización.

3. Encuentra el “camino del medio”.

A veces, una organización se centra únicamente en lograr su misión y objetivos. En el otro extremo, existe la posibilidad de estar demasiado centrado en el bienestar de las personas. Las organizaciones que están muy enfocadas en su misión a menudo tienen una alta rotación de personal, bajos niveles de compromiso, hipersensibilidad a la desadaptación organizacional y una alta frecuencia de casos con burnout. En el otro extremo, en aquellos demasiado enfocados en el bienestar de las personas, hay dificultad para lograr la misión de la organización, las necesidades individuales están constantemente insatisfechas, sus responsabilidades no están claras y su energía se consume en tareas innecesarias.

Una tercera vía, una vía intermedia, se compone de un entorno en el que las personas están inspiradas por la misión y la estructura de la organización, se identifican claramente sus habilidades y competencias individuales, se tienen claras las responsabilidades de sus funciones y se les reconoce por sus contribuciones profesionales.

La conclusión

A través de la investigación de OEP, aprendimos que generar la capacidad de bienestar organizacional es un proceso de gestión del cambio de cuatro pasos:

Definición de objetivos,

Cocreándolos con todos los miembros,

Implementación, y

Aprendizaje constante.

Es un proceso lento, sin soluciones rápidas ni un enfoque lineal. Lo más importante es la dirección de los cambios más que los resultados inmediatos. Es importante que los líderes den el ejemplo también, y vimos tres factores fundamentales en la generación de esta capacidad de bienestar organizacional: Liderazgo, Comunicación y Mentalidad de Crecimiento.

¿Y la última pieza del rompecabezas? Estas ocho organizaciones sociales descubrieron que desarrollar su capacidad de bienestar organizacional era menos costoso que no hacerlo.

Como dijo uno de los participantes del Programa de Desarrollo Interior de The Wellbeing Project: “Si no tienes bienestar en tu personal, ¿cómo puedes proporcionar bienestar en tu comunidad? Nadie puede dar lo que no tiene”.

Lo mismo ocurre con su organización. Ya sea que trabajes en una organización sin fines de lucro, una empresa o cualquier otro tipo de organización, el mensaje puede ser el mismo:

El bienestar inspira el desempeño: si estamos bien, lo haremos mejor.

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How Organizational Wellbeing Inspires Welldoing: Lessons From the Social Change Sector How Organizational Wellbeing Inspires Welldoing: Lessons From the Social Change Sector

Stories from the Hearth

Guest post by:

Ricardo Paz

People & Culture Elder, The Wellbeing Project
🌍 Bogotá, Colombia

Quick Reads

The Wellbeing Project, along with eight organizations from around the world, the Tavistock Institute, and the Center for Healthy Minds spent five years researching the value of organizational wellbeing and how to foster it.
They learned that any organization, public or private, can benefit from promoting organizational wellbeing: it improves employee performance, which translates into improved organizational performance.
They also all agreed the approach was cost-beneficial: it was less expensive to invest in organizational wellbeing than otherwise.
Cultivating organizational wellbeing is an ongoing, dynamic, and long-term process — but the value added for employees, your organization, and your community are worth it.

Ricardo (left) speaks at Hearth Summit Bogotá, sharing findings from The Wellbeing Project’s Organizational Exploratory Program (OEP).

In May, I had the pleasure of speaking at the Hearth Summit Bogotá, which focused on wellbeing and sustainable business. At this summit, sustainability was explored in three ways:

Sustainable work: focusing on employee wellbeing and work-life balance

Sustainable business: focusing on sustainable production and consumption within businesses

Sustainable ecosystems: focusing on how businesses can have positive social and environmental impacts

The audience was filled with hundreds of leaders from the business sector: CEOs, managers, experts, and others joined together at the Hearth to take collective action and shift corporate culture towards one of wellbeing and welldoing.

I was grateful to share learnings from the social sector about how promoting wellbeing within organizations leads to greater welldoing.

I’m not the only one thinking about the importance of employee wellbeing: the World Health Organization has classified Extreme Burnout as an occupational health problem given the magnitude of cases presented. Multiple studies around the world show an increase in extreme burnout in organizations of all kinds. Gallup has estimated global losses from absenteeism, turnover, and burnout at $322 billion. Billion!

The situation is clear: organizations must turn their attention to the wellbeing of their employees. But how can they do this?

At Hearth Summit Bogotá, I shared learnings from a five-year Organizational Exploratory Program (OEP) that The Wellbeing Project co-created with eight organizations from around the world – from Brazil, Canada, China, Eygpt, Mozambique, Pakistan, Senegal, and the United States.

With the Tavistock Institute of Human Relations and the Center for Healthy Minds providing research and methodology support, we sought to work with these eight organizations to develop an effective framework to support organizational wellbeing in a participatory way, based on empirical evidence.

The learnings from these eight social organizations can be useful for organizations in other sectors, both public and private, as they share a common message: the wellbeing of the employees of any organization leads to their improved performance and, therefore, the improved performance of the organizations and the ecosystem that surrounds them. In short: wellbeing inspires welldoing.

But how can organizations create a culture of wellbeing? I shared three key learnings from OEP with changemakers in Bogota:

1. Create your own definition and vision of wellbeing.

Defining organizational wellbeing can be very different for one organization than for another, as well as at the individual level. For this reason, it is relevant to make a definition in a participatory way with all or most of those involved. This means it will be a slow, long-term process, with a long-term strategic vision, according to the challenges, objectives and environment of each organization.

2. Take small steps – they go far.

In this way, it is necessary to focus on a few first and small actions to advance little by little in a work plan that evidences progress and reinforces the evolution of the organization. The idea is that, when making strategic decisions, the needs of the people involved at all levels in the organization are considered.

3. Find the “middle way”.

Sometimes, an organization is focused solely on achieving its mission and goals. At the other extreme, there is the possibility of being too focused on people’s well-being. Organizations that are very focused on their mission often have high staff turnover, low levels of commitment, hypersensitivity to organizational maladjustment, and a high frequency of cases with extreme burnout. At the other extreme, in those too focused on people’s wellbeing, there is difficulty in achieving the organization’s mission, individual needs are constantly unsatisfied, their responsibilities are unclear and their energy is consumed in unnecessary tasks.

A third way, a middle way, is made up of an environment where people are guided by the mission and structure of the organization, their individual skills and competencies are clearly identified, the responsibilities of their roles are clear, and they are recognized for their professional contributions.

The Bottom Line

Through the OEP research, we learned that generating organizational wellbeing capacity is a four-step change management process:

Defining objectives,

Co-creating them with all members,

Implementing, and

And constantly learning.

It is a slow process, without quick solutions or a linear approach. What is most important is the direction of changes rather than the immediate results. Leadership by example is also important, and we saw three fundamental factors in generating organizational wellbeing capacity: Leadership, Communication and Growth Mindset.

And the final piece of the puzzle? These eight social organizations found that developing their wellbeing capacity was less expensive than not doing so.

As one of the participants of The Wellbeing Project’s Inner Development Program said, “If you don’t have wellbeing in your staff, how can you provide wellbeing in your community? No one can give what they don’t have.”

The same is true for your organization. Whether you work in a non-profit, a business, or any other type of organization, the message can be the same:

Wellbeing Inspires Welldoing: if we are well, we’ll do it better.

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Institute for Collective Wellbeing

Location: Madison, Wisconsin,
United States of America

Can you share the intention behind creating the Institute for Collective Wellbeing (ICW) and what communities the Institute serve?

The intention behind ICW is to reimagine the purpose of organizations, systems, and society in service of collective wellbeing. It can be hard to transform a system from the inside due to bureaucracy, a sense of inevitability or stuck mindsets, and strongly embedded power differentials. We dreamt of something bigger – something more expansive and more aligned with a sense of possibility. So we took a leap of faith to co-create ICW free from stories about what we need to do, or who we need to be, in order to find purpose and meaning in organizational life.

We’re on a journey to be a microcosm of the world we aspire to see. It is very hard work! Increasingly, we understand that a society that honors collective wellbeing is also one that has reverence for the unknown. Our research and programming engage stakeholders across nonprofit, government, private, academic, and community sectors, and we are pleased with how often participants identify common ground in our often deeply siloed world.

The common thread among communities we serve is a shared commitment to authentic, inclusive, and generative relationships that are at the heart of systems transformation.

The mental models of what it means to be a “successful” organization don’t always align neatly with our commitment to an emergent strategy and a deeply relational ethos, but we’re doing it anyway.

What are some of the Institute’s focus themes?

There are so many! Here’s one that has been showing up a lot recently: As part of a study we’re conducting with our colleagues at <a href=”https://santamonicawellbeing.org/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Civic Wellbeing Partners</a>, we’ve interviewed leaders across silos and sectors globally to learn how stakeholders create conditions for collective wellbeing to emerge within their organizations and the communities they serve.

We hypothesize that one of the drivers at play is a lack of attention to mental models. Mental models are at the root of our systems and include our beliefs, values, and even consciousness. Time and again, we hear about programs, policies, and structures they have built to address racial inequity, the climate crisis, individual and collective trauma, etc. Yet there is repeatedly a narrative of burnout and/or a sense of bumping up against the limits of what a system will allow when it comes to real transformation.

For example, we can say we value collective wellbeing at our organization, but if employees feel like they need to “turn off” parts of who they are at work, is that collective wellbeing? What if one “big boss” ultimately speaks for the collective? What if we can’t share a viewpoint without data to back it?

These kinds of questions are critical when we work in service of collective wellbeing because even the best of intentions can prove futile if grown in poor soil, so to speak. It’s at the roots where mental models change the quality of the conditions by which transformation takes hold.

The Institute talks about the goal of co-creating Wellbeing for all.
What does that look like?

First, co-creation speaks to our desire for a deeply relational and collective approach. We push back on the idea that we need to assert our expertise, or lead from a place of power or hierarchy, in order to realize change. On the contrary, we feel a sense of harmony within ourselves, each other, and the universe when we honor the wisdom of one another.

When we attempt short-sided efforts to address wellbeing, we quickly see the error of our ways. For example, when organizations support remote work but insist on tracking people’s time use, they lack trust. When they promote racial/social/gender equity for the communities they serve but do not do the same for their internal teams, they lack insight. When they espouse a commitment to the environment but frequently fly staff across the globe without regard to planetary impacts, they lack consistency.

Collective wellbeing for all speaks to the idea of interconnection. We honor the fact that our wellbeing is wrapped up in the wellbeing of others and the earth.

Collective wellbeing for all is not a panacea nor does it address all social ills, rather, it moves us in the direction of awareness of how our actions impact ourselves, others, and the planet, and it is a vision of what’s possible.

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What are three things people interested in collective wellbeing can do to learn or put it into practice in their organization?

1. Engage change at various levels simultaneously

The interconnectedness of transformation at the personal, organizational, community, and planetary dimensions provides a holistic approach to collective wellbeing. Each dimension supports and relies on the others. Collective wellbeing is difficult when we prioritize one over another. That’s not to say that organizations need to do it all. Rather, make decisions with all dimensions in mind.

2. Pay attention to mental models

As discussed, surfacing “hidden” mental models helps us see the roots of suffering. For example, when working on equity issues, we may not see “hierarchy” as a mental model that contributes to inequity. We may have diversity among leadership but still support a system where a small group of individuals has power over others. An alternative is an “ecosystem” approach where power rests in relationship to one another and the system as a whole. Other shifts include: short to long-term thinking, fixed/static to emergent, tasks to relationships of care, rational to embodied, etc. What mental models are operating in your life that might benefit from a shift?

3. Practice collective wellbeing daily

Start every meeting with a wellbeing check-in to help each other feel seen and to decompress before starting the work. Sometimes our check-ins become the meeting because we believe so strongly that all parts of our lives are interconnected. Other practices include: self-managing structure; engaging one’s purpose and purpose of the organization; opening to emergent opportunities (not wedded to fixed outcomes); and adapting to a slower pace – questioning urgency.

What does the Institute imagine the future of wellbeing to look like?

Adrienne Maree Brown said, “We’re in a time of new suns. We have no idea what we could be, but everything that we have been is falling apart. So it’s time to change. And we can be mindful about that. That’s exciting.” For all that feels broken, uncertain, painful, and cold in the world, there is an opening underway, and it is powerful. It often doesn’t make headlines, and it’s far more intuitive than practical, but it is happening!

The future of collective wellbeing lives in the space between the systems that are dying and those that are waiting to be born. It is supple, feminine, honest, and imaginative. And if honored, it will reveal to us what our rational minds cannot; a change that will favor the collective wisdom and wellbeing of all people and the earth. As Arundhati Roy said, “Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.”

This may seem vague, and that’s okay! Part of embracing collective wellbeing is valuing what we feel even if we can’t say why at this moment. For readers interested in learning more about how we see the future of collective wellbeing unfolding, we welcome you to register for our 1-day virtual summit on September 15, 2022.

If ICW were an animal, what would it be and why?

So many animals are brilliant in their embodiment of transformation – the snake, the butterfly, the raven, etc. It’s hard to pick just one! There is the Lion featured prominently in the story of the Hindu Goddess Durga, a symbol of destruction for good, which seems apt.

Perhaps we’ll go with one that comes up in a phrase we like, “the elephant in the room;” alluding to something uncomfortable and often avoided.

To be clear, we don’t think of ICW as an organization that is uncomfortable or that should be avoided. Rather, what we mean is that we don’t shy away from complexity. We gravitate towards the deeply embedded narratives and mental models of what collective wellbeing means and what it takes to bring it to life. We move toward what is unknown, guided by a sense of what is possible rather than a certainty of what’s to come. Because that’s the thing about the elephant in the room. Whether or not you can put your finger on what it is, you know it’s there. How you respond often depends on what you believe is possible and if you dare to act on what you sense is true.

If you would like to learn more about Institute for Collective Wellbeing or are interested in supporting ICW’s work, please message the team at info@tifcw.org.