A recent survey published in SHRM’s Employee Mental Health Research Series 2024 has shown that nearly half of U.S. adults feel emotionally drained and burnout at work. This trend reveals that employers may not be doing enough to tackle this vital aspect of employee wellbeing.
Employee stress and burnout are critical issues affecting workplace productivity and well-being. Stress arises from high workloads, tight deadlines, or a lack of support, while burnout, a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion, often stems from prolonged, unmanaged stress.
In this interview, Corporate Wellness Magazine sat down with Jennifer Morton to discuss these and other issues surrounding corporate wellness in 2024 and what the future holds for the industry. Jennifer Morton is a Learning and development Specialist at Volkswagen Group of America, with more than six years in this role and more than twenty years in education.
How important is well-being to you personally?
Well-being is very important to me. I not only strive to practice these skills in my professional and personal life, but I also aim to champion well-being at my organization. I have had many opportunities to apply my well-being skills through activities and training that I provide in my workplace.
Where do you see the industry headed?
Change is occurring rapidly in the United States, making skills related to wellness, well-being, resilience, and stress management essential in both professional and personal settings. I am eager to discover best practices and new research in wellness, as well as emerging software, apps, reports, summits, certificates, and other resources that will be available—both free and for a fee.
What are the most critical focus areas for you in corporate wellness for the upcoming year?
Given the constant changes in business, I believe that addressing burnout, resilience, stress management, change management, and achieving flow are some of my top priorities. As change continues, it is crucial that we support one another and help employees cope with these stressors to create lasting change.
What was the most valuable takeaway from the CCWS program for you?
I appreciated the real-world examples shared throughout the modules during both my initial certification in early 2023 and my renewal in early 2024.
What is the personal significance of well-being, and how does it influence your work in corporate wellness?
My journey in well-being truly began in 2020. When my colleagues and I were asked to provide resources on resilience and stress during the pandemic, I eagerly embraced the opportunity to offer practical activities and training. I aimed to keep these projects under 30 minutes so that people could participate during work hours. Since then, we have organized daily, monthly, and annual wellness events. This journey has inspired me, and I strive to apply the skills I have learned in both my personal life and with my family.
What recent trends or changes in the corporate wellness field do you find impactful?
While the topic of stress is not new, the resources and training I've engaged with this year have been particularly impactful, and I wish to explore it further. Additionally, I plan to study change management, especially given the rapid pace of change in today’s business environment.
What are the key focus areas in wellness for the upcoming year and strategies to support them?
My focus will be on investigating stress, change management, and resilience. I plan to re-certify my Certified Corporate Wellness Specialist certificate, complete a Coursera course on well-being, and seek further learning opportunities. I also intend to provide additional short training sessions and support for my colleagues as they discover more resources to share within the company.
How has the CCWS certification contributed to your professional development and your approach to wellness?
I have received internal recognition for the CCWS program during several company meetings. After earning my certificate, I initiated a wellness event in 2023, offering resources on physical, mental, social, career, financial, and community goals. This event attracted over 132 site visits, more than 150 participants, and consisted of 19 sessions totaling 310.5 minutes of learning and engagement, involving seven departments and one outside speaker. Following this event, we were recognized externally by the Association for Talent Development (ATD) as a Champion of Learning for the fourth consecutive year. I am continually seeking new ways to deliver wellness training both in my organization and in my personal life.
One piece of advice you would offer for developing wellness programs.
My advice would be to let the business drive the programs. This approach encourages employee buy-in and allows individuals to advocate for their needs. When people have the opportunity to participate and influence the process, the return on investment can be substantial.
