GrokTalk Blog

Unconscious biases are stereotypes, attitudes, and assumptions that take place outside of conscious awareness. They may represent viewpoints that are quite different from what people think they believe. These biases perpetuate harmful stereotypes, stifle opportunities for professional growth, impact wellbeing, and cause people to overlook the talents and abilities of others and be unable to see them as they really are.

Although age discrimination in the workplace may not garner splashy media headlines, it has a negative effect similar to racism, sexism, and the unfair treatment of disabled people. It can impact people’s wellbeing, engagement, and productivity. What distinguishes ageism in the workplace from other types of bias is that stereotypes about older people have largely been adopted as true. Business owners and supervisors may not realize they are treating employees unfairly because they hear subtle age-related messaging in society. That’s why open dialogue about such disparities and examples are vital to curbing ageism in the workplace today.

Employee burnout is responsible for an estimated 125 billion to 190 billion dollars in healthcare costs each year in the U.S. Stress with a job is not new. Still, this particular brand of it does appear to be escalating. In 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared employee burnout an “occupational phenomenon” in the 11the version of the International Classification of Diseases. What causes employee burnout, and what can employers do to prevent it? 

The workplace has changed dramatically in the past year. Chances are some, if not all, of your employees are working from home — and remote working, in some capacity, is here to stay. That means you’re on the lookout for effective ways to keep your workforce engaged and feeling their best as they juggle the challenges of living and working during a pandemic — and beyond. 

The idea of racial trauma may seem like something very personal. But part of the problem with these kinds of issues is that they're pervasive. They get into nearly every aspect of life and wellbeing, and if they aren't talked about and addressed, they can continue to cause a lot of harm.

Although the United States is one of eight countries around the world and the only high-income country that does not guarantee paid family leave, things are beginning to change for workers and corporations in the US. A 2018 survey showed that 40% of US companies who participated in the study offered paid leave for both parents, which was a 25% boost from 2015. 

This International Women’s Day falls on the one-year mark of the beginning of one of the most difficult periods we’ve collectively experienced. Last year at this time, we were aware of the new, dangerous strain of coronavirus and feared it was about to hit us close to home. While we were uncertain of exactly how our lives and livelihoods would be impacted — we were even more oblivious to its disproportionate impact on the lives and livelihoods of women. We went on to endure a year of  social upheaval and political turmoil that exposed the fissures in the very foundation of justice and equality, and threatened the progress we’ve made toward creating a fair and equal society for every man, woman and child.

As employees continue to balance their personal lives with the daily demands of work, employee mental health issues continue to rise. Grokker is committed to helping our members manage stress with fresh ideas and time-tested methods that lead to more balance, more resilience, and more tranquility in their everyday lives. This week, we are thrilled to announce the release of our brand new program, Beyond Burnout, with one of Grokker’s most trusted mind experts: Dr. Catherine Wikholm! This 10-day program is specially designed with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques that help employees build the skills they need to identify and overcome burnout. 

If you're trying to encourage your workers and help them be their best, one of the ways you can do that is to show them how to work with their emotions as well as with their thoughts. Since people attach so much emotion to what they're thinking a lot of the time, one of the biggest goals is to help them experience emotional agility. But what that means, how it can be used properly in the workplace, and why it's important may all be foreign concepts. Here's what you need to know.

Mental health isn’t often spoken about at work. We’ve seen more high-profile conversations about mental health pop into the news, but many people struggle to take mental health seriously. On the flip side, the World Health Organization (WHO) considers mental health in its definition of health, and about 1 in 5 U.S. adults struggle with mental health issues. Employees are struggling due to COVID-19 and the isolation that comes from remote work, so it’s imperative that organizational leaders support their employees’ mental health.

Social interaction is vital in the workplace, but in the last year, more employees than ever before have been experiencing a different kind of workspace — one that doesn't come with a water cooler or shared conversations next to the morning coffee pot. Some of these people will eventually return to life as they once knew it, while many will continue on the remote path. Without the proper skills or tools, remote work can become very lonely and isolating. This, in turn, can lead to many health problems, both physically and emotionally.

A recent survey led by Great Places to Work® revealed surprising results: employees are just as productive, if not more productive, while working from home rather than in the office. Over the span of two years, from the year 2019 to 2020, Great Places to Work® surveyed over 800,000 employees from 715 companies to measure employee productivity. They examined the degree to which employees are “willing to give extra to get the job done,” and “quickly adapt to changes needed for their company’s success,” and compared the results over a six month period from March to August of 2019 and 2020.