In today’s fast-paced work environments, it’s easy to overlook the importance of overall well-being. The modern workplace often values productivity and efficiency above all else, leaving little room for the physical and mental health of employees. Today, employee well-being has expanded beyond the physical to focus on building a culture of holistic support, including:
- physical
- emotional
- financial
- social
- career
- community and purpose.
However, research consistently highlights the critical role of well-being in fostering a positive work environment and driving long-term success.
In this blog post, George Ayley, senior account executive at D2L, shares his personal story, highlighting the importance of prioritizing mental and physical well-being in the workplace. Along the way, he also talks about the support and resources provided by D2L that helped him navigate this transformative journey.
Early Experiences and Challenges
Like most of us, I previously struggled to put my well-being before my career, and I want to inspire some of you to open up and put your well-being first. Some of the stresses I experienced personally were anxiety followed by stress leading to depression. This was attributed to a mixture of experiences from my professional and personal life that then transpired into significant burnout.
Recognizing the Significance of Prioritizing Wellbeing and Seeking Support
One of the most difficult things for me was addressing the fact that I was struggling. Getting support from family members was of integral importance. External support was also important, like pursuing my hobbies like football and fishing to make sure that I was supporting my own personal well-being outside of work. At D2L, I felt supported by my manager and the wider team. They all recognize that we have diverse needs and requirements and prioritizing well-being is not a one-size-fits-all approach.
Recognition and Support From D2L
I use different approaches to continue my wellness journey with D2L. Some of these include:
- being disciplined in my time management
- being honest and speaking about how I’m feeling before it gets to the point of burnout or stress and anxiety
- making sure that I’m utilizing my lunch break and that I’m utilizing the array of benefits available at D2L
- making sure that I’m using my holidays
- championing well-being and mental health internally with support from my team
D2L’s Commitment to My Well-being
There are a lot of programs that D2L offers as a part of its well-being initiative. I think two of the main ones would be the flexibility around work as well as our professional development platform—Catch the Wave. I like the volunteering program and We also have a wellness subsidy that covers expenses like gym memberships. There’s a lot available and it’s almost difficult to take part in all of it, but it’s nice to know that it’s there if you need it.
Encouragement for Others
There are a lot of people out there in a similar position to the one I was in last year, and I hope that my story gives them inspiration to speak out and realize that prioritizing well-being isn’t a weakness, it’s a strength. As an effort in this direction, I took part in an internal Wellness Committee conversation with over 70 people where we talked about our experiences. Hopefully, this gives everyone a snippet into how great it is to work for an organization that cares about its people.
A piece of advice from me would be: Don’t push your anxiety and stress under the rug, put your well-being first. Doing so will positively impact your professional life.
Are you inspired to embark on your own wellness journey? Join us in prioritizing your well-being and making positive changes in your work and personal life by exploring the exciting opportunities we have available. Visit our Career Page to discover how you can become a part of our team and contribute to our vibrant and supportive community.
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