Dialogue Q3 2019

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Measuring the ROI of wellbeing The transformation of Barcelona shows why leaders should rethink how they assess wellbeing at work. Steven P MacGregor explains

There are many dates in Barcelona’s history that, given their significance, have a clear sense of a before and after. 17 October 1986 is surely one of the most important. This was the date that Barcelona was selected to host the 1992 Olympics, which were to utterly transform the city and its people. As well as the usual construction of sports and hotel facilities, major infrastructure projects were initiated that significantly improved the wellbeing of residents, and do so to this day. The Olympic Village was constructed at the port, opening the city to the sea, making it fit once again for leisure, and transforming the coastline from an industrial area to what National Geographic now calls the best beach city in the world. Other major projects included modernization of the airport with two new terminals, and construction of the city ring roads to reduce traffic congestion in the centre. Does it matter, then, that the Games had one of the highest cost over-runs in Olympic history? In an age where the Olympics is under increasing scrutiny regarding sustainability and legacy, Barcelona is – rightly – held up as a success case, rather than one of the most debt-laden in history. It made the city what it is today. But that verdict prompts questions: what is the return on investment (ROI) of any significant endeavour? Should ROI be measured only in monetary terms?

Thriving at work

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Such questions have to be asked about the measures used to gauge wellbeing at work – and indeed, what benefit wellbeing has for business. It is increasingly clear that wellbeing is core to performance. Researchers at the Ross School of Business have looked at the factors that support sustainable high performance. They use the term ‘thriving’ to describe employees who are not just satisfied and productive, but also engaged in creating the future. They see thriving as present when people believe what they are doing makes a difference and that they are learning. The researchers found that people who were thriving

Dialogue Q3 2019


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