CGS culture: Promoting a healthy work/life balance

Our employees, along with many others, have learned over the past year that working outside the office can blur the lines between professional and personal lives. CGS has been acutely aware of these challenges and continues to provide resources and guidance to employees on how to mitigate them.

One way CGS has focused on this topic is through the Future of Work Committee, an employee-led organization which aims to support employees during the recent crisis and prepare them for a post-pandemic work environment. To accomplish this, the committee has hosted speakers to talk directly to the CGS community about work/life balance and stress management. We asked Cole Freeman, Chair of the Future of Work Committee, about the efficacy of these events:

“One of our goals was to increase colleagues’ awareness that CGS cares about their mental well-being during a difficult time for most people. Initially, we put out a survey asking the CGS community about the relationship between their employer and their mental well-being. We plan to conduct another survey to track our progress and hope that these events have inspired positive responses.”

The first speaker that the Future of Work Committee hosted was Caitlin Magidson, a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor. This event focused on the future of work/life balance, creating a sense of well-being, and exploring self-care strategies to manage life stressors. As an organizer of this event, Cole was pleased with the reception from colleagues. “Hearing from a professional with experience on mental-health awareness showed a commitment from CGS to take these topics seriously and showed the willingness to start conversations on mental well-being.”

The next event in this series featured Bill Webner, a Vice-President at CGS, who presented a leadership testimonial on work/life balance and stress management. Bill discussed how these topics have changed over the course of his career, how COVID has affected his outlook, and some best practices he’s developed to maintain work/life balance.

After another successful event, the Future of Work Committee is already planning the next iterations in this series. This summer, the committee will host a diverse pool of volunteer speakers from within the CGS community to speak about their personal experiences. These events will focus not only on how they adjusted to their new professional livelihoods during the pandemic but also how they have navigated work/life balance throughout their careers.

In addition to hosting speakers, the Future of Work Committee is finding new ways to encourage positive attention to work/life balance and stress management. The Future of Health Committee, an offshoot of the Future of Work Committee, has emerged as another organization in which our community can find support. This group aims to prioritize physical health through fitness challenges, 5K runs, health incentive awareness, and CGS health initiatives. The committee has gained popularity with its new series of Fitness Fridays.

With CGS continuing to sponsor these sessions, Cole recognizes the impact these events can have in addressing the changes in our lives as a result of working from home. “The company has acknowledged that this is a difficult time. Having regular work/life balance sessions can give employees the opportunities to realize that a lot of their experiences and stories are shared.”

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Authors:

Joshua Sweren, Consultant

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