When working with organizations to establish well-being sustainability, several key factors play a role in developing an effective framework.
These factors are unique to each environment and workforce, considering shifting tides—be they economic trends, individual and global health concerns, or environmental and political climates.
Organizations often lean toward popular, one-size-fits-all steps to improve workforce well-being, but these quick fixes may not apply across the board. In fact, there’s a risk of homogenizing solutions that ignore the nuances of each team or company culture. A sustainable well-being framework should offer a structured approach, but it must also remain flexible to meet the specific needs of individuals within the organization.
Well-being connects to the fulfillment of needs, which suggests an ongoing journey rather than a final destination. Despite this, companies frequently look for quick fixes to complex, deeply human challenges. Well-being isn’t purely personal; it’s embedded within the social structures, communities, and support systems we all rely on. It’s shaped by the resources—or lack thereof—that people can access.
At BETA, we created a well-being sustainability framework that encourages organizations to take a holistic approach. The framework focuses on improving individual well-being while fostering positive interactions within the team and the environment. Central to this framework is a coaching approach, where participants engage as equals, grounded in trust, transparency, choice, and a willingness to pivot.
Just as seeds germinate in their own time, the impacts of this framework may take a while to unfold. Some efforts blossom quickly, while others need time to root deeply before showing visible growth. The organization’s “soil” (its culture, systems, resources, and contributors) affects every step. Clarifying core values and supporting each contributor helps everyone align in a shared commitment to well-being.
In the end, our collective well-being relies on mutual support within our interconnected ecosystem. While well-being is universally desired, it’s not universally accessible. Embracing different perspectives and holding space for all voices is essential.
Audre Lorde writes in her essay Poetry is not a luxury (1985), “For women, then, poetry is not a luxury. It is a vital necessity of our existence.” I couldn’t agree more. Through poetry, we confront the vulnerability of human existence, recalling what was and giving voice to our deepest longings—a necessity, not a luxury, for our shared humanity.
I recently came across Forest of the Lost by Mosab Abu Toha while watching PBS news hour and purchased the book the same week. To say this collection is heart-wrenching feels like an understatement—words can’t fully capture the weight of war, loss, and survival.
Reading poetry is one of my loves—it is a way to be transported from the thinking mind to the heart center, to feel into the words on the pages. I am leaving you with this poem from the collection.
Before I Sleep
Before I sleep,
Death is always
sitting on my windowsill,
whether in Gaza or Cairo.
Even when I lived
in a tent,
it never failed
to create a window
for itself.
It looks me in the eye
and recounts to me
that many times
it let me live.
When I respond, “But you
took my loved ones away!”
it swallows the light in the tent
and hides in the dark to visit next day.
Poems are magic ceremonies of language, writes Byung-Chul Han.
Sharing this tune for your listening pleasure:
Let’s Connect
Schedule an appointment at novelette@betacoachingconsulting.com for a presentation on the well-being sustainability framework!
