We are delighted that Nadine will be speaking in Zurich as part of our European summit. We caught up with her to find out how she’s feeling in the runup to the event.
Hi Nadine, we are thrilled that you will be speaking at the Wellbeing at Work Europe Summit in May. Our first and most important question is, how are you doing today?
Thank you for asking. I am so excited to speak about wellbeing at work and meeting so many likeminded people who truly care how we are all doing at work.
As a leader based in the region, what are the main challenges you are facing when it comes to employee wellbeing and mental health?
Living in a BANI (brittle, anxious, nonlinear, incomprehensible) world creates a lot of uncertainty and anxiety on individual and organizational levels. The toll on mental health is high and can’t be ignored by organizations if they want to remain relevant. Strategies that worked in the past are not leading to the expected outcomes anymore and we all must adapt and learn to navigate in complex systems. This requires moving from linear cause-effect strategies to agile systems-thinking.
What strategies have you seen developing over the past 6 months, both internally and externally, that are moving the dial on wellbeing in the workplace?
Unfortunately, I see a trend back to strategies that worked in the past globally, moving towards more control, limited flexibility and adopting values to latest political trends. Internally, we hold our values high and put them in practice with our leadership principles and the bold statement “we want everyone to be a leader”. Therefore, the strategy is to embed wellbeing in our leadership development programs.
Why is employee wellbeing so important to you personally?
I believe that a healthy and engaged workforce is essential for both individual fulfilment and organizational success. I have seen and experienced firsthand how leaders equipped with the right skills to support and offerings like an EAP can make a real difference for individuals and with this lead to improved morale, productivity, and overall job satisfaction. I am committed to fostering a culture where employees feel valued and empowered to prioritize their health and wellbeing for the benefit of all.
What impact is AI having in your organisation and how are you managing that?
Our colleagues in R&D have been surfing the AI wave since years which culminated in the launch of Phonak Infinio and Infinio Sphere platforms for our hearing aids which contain AI to substantially enhance hearing quality especially in noisy environments – a game changer for people with hearing loss. AI is not only an integral part of our products, but we are also using it a tool to make work more efficient and productive across all businesses and functions. To protect proprietary knowledge, we have our internal chatbots and clear regulations on the use of AI.
What areas do you think employers should be focused on over the next 12 months?
If I had a crystal ball… yet, what is clear for me is that our resilience will be probed more than ever. To be prepared, employers should on the one hand ensure that professional mental, social and financial counselling support (EAP) is available and on the other hand equip their people leaders with knowledge and skills on mental health to create a positive and supportive environment for their team.
How has your organisation been leading the way?
In the past 2 years we have trained more than 1000 leaders in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA). We have started to integrate employee wellbeing into our leadership development curricula and have established comprehensive resilience programs for employees, leaders and teams.
Nadine will be speaking in Zurich at the Wellbeing at Work Summit Europe which takes place in Zurich on 13th May, virtually on 14th May and in Amsterdam on 15th May. Further details on the Summit and tickets can be found here.
