“The Hare and the Tortoise” is an age-old fable that we all know. But when was the last time you stopped to think about how its lesson applies to modern life?
If you haven’t given it much thought, you may be wondering what a tale like this has to do with you, your employees, the benefits your company offers, and well-being at work. Well, this fable helps explain the importance of balance, mindfulness, and the messages you share with your population.
Although the hare is quick, he stops midway through the race to take a nap. This break ultimately costs him the race. Like the hare losing the race, employee burnout costs companies an estimated $125 billion to $190 billion in health-care spending every year. And while some employers still view employee burnout as an individual problem, it’s been scientifically proven to be an organizational one. Perhaps the hare was suffering from a lack of clarity in his role, something that can lead to burnout. Maybe he thought his job was to run the fastest; he didn’t realize his duty was far less taxing to achieve.
For the number nerds among us, the Arctic hare can run up to 37 mph. At 0.13 to 0.3 mph, the tortoise can’t run at all. It doesn’t matter that the hare is many times faster. All the hare needed to do to win was move a hair faster than the tortoise. And if he’d understood that, perhaps the race would have had a different outcome.
Similarly, your employees need clear expectations on what your company needs to win. Instead of rushing headlong into the race, encourage your employees to take the time they need to be successful. One way to achieve this is through mindfulness. Mindfulness is a great way to help your employees avoid speeding toward burnout. It’s been proven to decrease burnout and improve well-being in even the most stressed employees.
In companies with high-achieving, competitive employees, the narrative is often about pushing, stretching, or growing toward bigger goals. Most companies think they want their employees to be the hare—the fastest ones in the race—and so their communications reflect that desire and are designed to motivate employees to work that way. But if your company wants to reduce employee stress, improve employee health, and avoid the high cost of burnout, your messages may need revising.
Instead of a move-as-fast-as-you-can message filled with urgency and the pressure of deadlines, consider one that provides support and a gentle nudge such as “take the time you need to succeed” and “ask for help, if needed, to get the job finished on time.” This type of framing is positive and encouraging, and it avoids contributing to the amount of anxiety felt by those on the receiving end. If it’s not an emergency, make sure your messaging isn’t making it feel like one.
In addition to reviewing how your company defines success, you can help employees achieve balance by pointing them to the right benefits. Communicating about these benefits consistently and often is key to increasing participation and getting new behaviors to stick.
Instead of encouraging employees to be the hare, inspire them to be the tortoise. Too often, we’re so caught up in trying to be, or expecting others to be, the hare that we forget it’s the tortoise who actually wins the race. The tortoise takes his time, gets it right, and is at peace. Doesn’t that sound like the balance that we should all strive to achieve?
We’re proud to work with organizations that value their people. If you want to learn more, we’d love to talk.