Let's face it, work can be a pressure cooker sometimes. Aside from the physical toll, it's also about mental stress and feeling isolated, making us less productive and more likely to call in sick. But what if our workplace focused on keeping us healthy in every way? We'd probably feel more motivated, stick around longer, and do better work. 

In this episode, we feature Barbara Jeffery, a Partner at McKinsey & Company in the London office who leads the People and Organizational Performance practice in the UK, Ireland, and Israel. With over 15 years of experience in various sectors, including healthcare and public services, Barbara specializes in strategy development, organizational design, and driving large-scale change. 

She is also deeply involved with the McKinsey Health Institute (MHI) as an Affiliate Partner, focusing on Employee Health and Wellbeing. Moreover, Barbara is a Board member for Business in the Community (BITC), a prominent organization championing responsible business in the UK.

In this episode of the HAPPINESS SQUAD Podcast, Ashish Kothari and Barbara Jeffery, Partner at McKinsey & Company, discuss how addressing our holistic health could transform our work lives. 

Things you will learn from this episode:

• Holistic health in the workplace

• The 4 dimensions of holistic health

• How organizations can foster holistic health

• Understanding burnout

Resources:

• Addressing Employee Burnout: https://www.mckinsey.com/mhi/our-insights/addressing-employee-burnout-are-you-solving-the-right-problem

• Barbara Jeffery: https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/barbara-jeffery 

• Working Nine to Thrive: https://www.mckinsey.com/mhi/our-insights/working-nine-to-thrive 

• Reframing employee health: Moving beyond burnout to holistic health: https://www.mckinsey.com/mhi/our-insights/reframing-employee-health-moving-beyond-burnout-to-holistic-health

• Present company included: Prioritizing mental health and well-being for all: https://www.mckinsey.com/mhi/our-insights/present-company-included-prioritizing-mental-health-and-well-being-for-all 

Books:

• Hardwired for Happiness: 9 Proven Practices to Overcome Stress and Live Your Best Life.https://www.amazon.com/Hardwired-Happiness-Proven-Practices-Overcome/dp/1544534655