Companies have specific responsibilities to those working for them, whether male or female. Employers must provide a safe and healthy work environment for all of their employees. Women have fought to gain the equality they deserve in the workplace and it’s the responsibility of the employer to continue to provide the equality all women and men deserve in the workplace.
Connecting the equality of all employees in the workplace to the wellness of those same employees isn’t much of a leap. Working for a company that provides a safe environment, along with equality between men and women is where employee wellness begins. It’s not just about the physical health of those working for the company, but also about their mental health, which the work environment plays a large role in.
The Psychological Atmosphere
Going to work for a company with any thoughts of not getting treated fairly cannot provide any wellness for the individual in this situation. If a woman feels as if she can never advance because she is a woman, it doesn’t create a sense of wellness within the company for any of the employees – on the contrary, these types of mindset can create an attitude within the employee that is so negative that it can lead to a vastly-less productive performance, lack of motivation, an even outcomes as bad as quitting or a lawsuit. However, when employees are judged solely on their contributions to the company itself, separated from any issues related to gender, ethnicity, or anything else, it can positively affect the attitude of all the employees in massive ways.
Companies that don’t treat both men and women equally will struggle to get the most out of their workers. They may also struggle to retain employees, which can also lead to bad attitudes within the company walls as well as a poor reputation among others in the industry. Companies known for fair treatment and promotions upon merit earn positive reputations that create verdant atmospheres where growth can be expected, and attract a multitude of eager applicants, many of whom are members of the top-notch batch of workers. This leads to proud employees who produce more valuable work and are more eager to wear different hats within the company.
The Sole Responsibility is the Company
Providing a healthy atmosphere for the workers of a company is the sole responsibility of the company. If someone negatively affects the atmosphere on a regular basis, the management of the company can remove the individual or try to help the individual change. It’s not up to the employees to provide a healthy atmosphere, though their collective efforts can affect it. Ultimately, it’s up to the company to train employees as to how to properly provide a safe environment for everybody working for the company. Regular meetings and team-building sessions can facilitate productive discussions on this front.
It starts with the head of the company and filters down from there. When the CEO or owner provides a healthy environment for managers, mangers will do the same for those working underneath them. As this trickles down, those with a negative effect on the overall work environment will eliminate themselves. In this way, many companies became self-correcting systems with vibrant and healthy internal cultures.
