Keystone has always been a small business focused on helping other small and medium-sized businesses conquer their I.T. needs. We grew that way, from one, to two, to many. Which is to say, we have always been a close-knit team of likeminded problem-solvers. A work family like many others. So, we know each other well, and when one of us is unhappy, the rest of us can feel it. Even, or in some cases, especially when working remotely, as more and more of us have been doing, and will be doing for the foreseeable future. In all actuality, it is something a lot of companies deal with, and the bottom line is individual unhappiness can adversely affect work environments more than most executives would like to admit, or even acknowledge.

Unhappy individuals can act like anchors, sinking morale. That is the corporate argument, at least, to want to address the issue. For us, we made our employee wellbeing a pillar through which we measure ourselves as a successful organization. One, because it is a keystone of our culture, and two, we have a leader who genuinely cares about the success, happiness, and growth of his team, not just as employees, but as individuals as well. As the great Michael Scott once said, “Good managers don’t fire people. They hire and inspire people.”

Which is to say, implementing an employee wellbeing program is something that needs to be reinforced and encouraged from the top down. We are not saying it is a business’ responsibility to make sure their employees are always happy. There are some things that are beyond anyone’s control. What we are saying is that investing in wellbeing requires committed leadership, not just something that you hashtag about once a year when it is fashionable to do so. It is a 365-day-a-year initiative.

So, what does investing in employee wellbeing actually look like? It depends a lot on your organization’s culture to start. Complicated structures require complicated solutions, and there is no magic bullet approach to individual happiness. For example, yoga-hour might not fly in some offices, but flourish in others. The key in the beginning is conversation. Real conversation that is devoid of judgement. performance reviews, and goal setting, and focuses on the root of why someone is unhappy. Some individuals are more prone to depression and anxiety than others. Those qualities should not frighten a manager, as they may also indicate an individual who is observant, thoughtful, and empathetic. And those individuals may require additional focus, or simply a one-on-one every so often to get their gears in motion.

There is also a lot to be said about the effectiveness of eating healthier and exercising. Any way in which an organization can promote these two areas is a winning scenario. But what is sometimes overlooked is a healthy mind. As though a healthy mind is solely the result of eating better and working out. But the truth is, a healthy mind requires so much more. Sleep, for example, is incredibly important to wellbeing. Sleep requires a quiet mind, and sometimes the only way to achieve a quiet mind is through the practicing of mindfulness.

For the uninitiated, mindfulness is the conscious practice of acceptance and living in the present. For example, if one’s mind is in a state of racing, judging, and worrying, mindfulness is the practice of recognizing that state of being while actively in it, acknowledging it and the emotions tied to it, accepting those emotions, and moving on. After all, getting a good night’s sleep is far more valuable than worrying about something you cannot change through all hours of the night. Being mindful is not just about intervention, either. It can be exercised throughout the day as a form of living meditation, and an ongoing promotion of positive energy and thoughts. If this sounds all too hippy-ish, we are here to tell you that it works. That is if you are willing to let it work. Above all else, mindfulness requires an open mind, and it requires you to put in the work, just like any other exercise.

Pandemic or not, the focus on mental health and employee wellbeing is here to stay. In fact, it has only been amplified under the current conditions. Sometimes one just needs to take a deep breath, pause, and refocus. More importantly, sometimes they just need the permission to do so.