Diversity, Stress, Wellness and Coaching at Coca Cola

Diversity

                        Advances in technology and the emergence of a global economy has made it easier for people to cross boundaries and interact for various reasons, top of which is business. Different organizations, businesses and governments have developed policies and approaches that are designed to help adapt to the diversity that exists in society (Christiansen & Chandan, 2017). For businesses like the Coca Cola Company, practices like employee recruitment have been designed to ensure that the company is able to attract and retain the most qualified and innovative employees. Since having a diverse workforce gives a company a competitive advantage, Coca Cola tries to create an ideal working environment by encouraging employees to be respective of other people’s culture. Employees receive different forms of training and team building activities that are designed to help improve communication (Coca Cola, 2020). Through training, the company is able to identify each employee’s different traits and also how to utilise in in a way that is beneficial to the individual, the team, and the organization.

            Embracing diversity is essential for a business’ growth as it reduces employee turnover and cuts on the cost of employment. businesses spend a lot of time and money when recruiting new employees. When trying to fill top positions, organizations are forced to compete with other organizations or lure employees from their current jobs with lucrative and at times expensive job offers (Christiansen & Chandan, 2017). A high employee turnover is however undesirable as it communicates to other employees that the organization may have issues addressing employee concerns. To resolve the issue of employee turnover, Coca Cola offers various reward packages for employees that perform exceptionally well (Coca Cola, 2020). Bonuses, shopping vouchers and paid retreats are used to motivate employees and also reward those who do exceptionally well at performing their duties.

            The Coca Cola Company also organizes different team building activities and training that is designed to promote interaction between employees. The company’s workforce is made up of individuals from different cultural backgrounds. The employees have different ways of doing things and majority are influenced by their customs, traditions and attitudes towards their work and the people they work with (Christiansen & Chandan, 2017). In order to create a common ground, the company organizes out door activities such as sports and hiking to try and engage employees in similar activities and create a corporate culture that serves as the common ground for all employees. The company’s corporate culture creates an ideal environment for working as it utilizes the skills and knowledge of each individual.

            During training, employees are equipped with the skills they need to find a common ground between their perceptions about work and the corporate culture so as to promote peaceful coexistence. The training helps to identify people’s unique skills and also help the employee to develop new ones (USDC, 2016). The skills identified are then used to determine what tasks are ideal for specific employees. It also makes it easier for managers to allocate employees to respective teams depending on their abilities.

            A diverse workforce is important as it utilizes each employee’s skills and knowledge to determine what role employees play within the organizations. Activities that promote diversity such as training make it easier for employees to identify what role they play in an organization (USDC, 2016). Employees are able to see the contributions they make in helping to meet the set objectives as well as the commitment that the business makes in trying to help employees become better at their jobs. This in turn motivates them to work harder and go beyond their job descriptions in an attempt to find better and more innovative ways to perform their duties.

            The Coca Cola company has managed to maintain its competitive advantage as it embraces diversity and hires employees from different backgrounds. The different variety of skills and talent that the diverse workforce is utilized in innovating new products, making advertisements and coming up with different ways to encourage the target audience to choose Coca Cola products over other in the market (Coca Cola, 2020). The diverse workforce combined with the company’s dominance in the market ensures that the company’s products and services are in constant demand and that employees have the skills and attitude needed to offer customers the quality of service that sets the company apart from its competitors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stress

            Stress is part of daily life and it is triggered by different factors while an individual is at work, with family, in school or when making decisions. It is both mental and physical and can develop based off of controllable events or from things that the individual could not control or was not even aware of. Since stress can occur in any setting, it is important for employers to develop strategies that can help employees reduce stress and cope with the hardships that come about from performing their duties.

            Stress in the workplace commonly occurs as a result of disruptions in the workplaces and changes in the way employees perform their duties. When a disruption to the flow of work occurs, it causes significant levels of stress to employees regardless of whether the disruption was intentional or by accident (Heathfield, 2020). Organization must therefore identify areas that are likely to cause stress for employees and find ways to reduce the effects and also compensate the employees for the disruptions caused. since change is inevitable, preparing employees for change greatly helps reduce stress as employees are informed beforehand on the disruptions that are likely to occur and how to prepare so as to overcome some of the inconveniences caused.

            The approach used by the Coca Cola company to reduce stress focuses on including employees in the decision-making process. Being a leader in the market it operates in, Coca Cola has to constantly innovate its products and services, and this subjects its employees to different forms of change and disruptions in the workplace (Coca Cola, 2020). Despite the changes introduced however, the company commands a significant share of the market it operates in and employees have found a way to adapt to the changes. The flexible nature has been reinstated by the company’s policy to include employees in the decision-making process. While the company is highly innovative, including employees in the decision-making process informs them of the direction the company is taking and the changes that are likely to be introduced in future (Heathfield, 2020). The information helps employees to prepare for the changes that will come about and also reinstates the importance of the changes and how they will help to meet the overall company objectives.

            Managing stress is important as it reduces the negative effect that it has on the employees’ overall well-being. Stressful experiences at work can cause physical, behavioural and emotional problems that negatively impact the employee’s mental alertness, health, energy, productivity and attitude towards work and other employees (Cummings & Worley, 2015). Some of the consequences of stress in the workplace include lack of adequate sleep, headaches, irritability and serious medical conditions such as heart disease and high blood pressure.

 Regardless of whether the effects are mild or severe, stress has far reaching consequences as it leads employees into questioning their ability to perform their duties. Employees who are under too much pressure may question their ability to perform the assigned tasks and some may opt to quit or shy awa from tasks that appear too difficult (Cummings & Worley, 2015). In such an environment, employees are not motivated enough to try different approaches and this discourages innovation. Stress may also cause employees to lose trust in the organization and start questioning the security it offers for their future (Quelch & Knoop, 2018). Employees who loose hope in the organization they work for tend to limit their performance to the minimum requirements and this will also have a negative impact on innovations.

The Coca Cola Company is however committed to helping its employees cope with stress. When dealing with change, employees are given training and enough time to learn new skills that will make them flexible enough to accommodate the change. The company also offers team building activities that help to break work monotony and create an opportunity for employees to interact and share ideas on how to go about meeting the company objectives (Coca Cola, 2020). Employees are also given rewards and bonuses for meeting objectives. The company has also helped to align the employee’s interests with that of the organization. Meeting company objectives therefore helps employees accomplish their own personal goals and thus reducing the elements that could cause stress for employees both in the workplace and at home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wellness

            Managers bear the responsibility of ensuring that employees work in an ideal environment that facilitates good performance of duties and also promote employee wellness. As leaders, managers have the authority and resources needed to create an ideal working environment and promote good health and the overall well-being for employees. Promoting employee wellness is beneficial for both the employee and the organization as it promotes good health and reduces the cost of medical care on the side of all parties involved. Employees are able to work in environments that motivate and encourage innovations without the risk of falling sick or developing mental issues associated with stress caused by work.

            Different organizations have come up with different strategies that utilise employee wellness to cut down on healthcare costs and also foster happy relationships with employees to promote productivity. Although the wellness programs seek to protect the overall well being of employees, their effectiveness is greatly influenced by the management (Hall, 2017). At Coca Cola, the Human Resource department has come up with different strategies to communicate the importance of wellness and to encourage the management to encourage members of staff to practise wellness (Coca Cola, 2020). The management is responsible for structuring activities such as the provision of entertainment during lunch, yoga classes and team building activities that encourage employees to work out.

            Team leaders at the company also lead by example and practise self-care as a way of passing on the habit to other employees. The self-care involves activities that help to reduce stress and promote good health. Managers train other members of staff on how to regulate the amount spent during overtime as a way of encouraging employees to take care of themselves (Chenoweth, 2016). As a manager, taking vacations and utilizing leave days communicates to employees that it is important to relax and unwind away from the office during off days. Managers also try to respect employee personal time. communication with employees on leave or during off days is restricted to emergencies or occasions that require the employee input to resolve a problem (Cooper et al, 2008). Restricting business to the office helps employees to realize the importance of off days and also gives them space to pursue their personal interests without interference from the employer.

            The management also sets an example for employees by showing gratitude and expressing satisfaction for the exceptional work the employees perform. Compliments are used to commend positive input from employees and also to motivate other employees to follow in their footsteps (Colvin & Taylor, 2012). It also acts as a way of reinstating the employee’s importance in meeting the overall objective. Employees who feel as part of an organization are less likely to suffer from stress and operate at a positive state of mind. Reduced stress enhances the efficiency in which the employees perform their jobs and this greatly contributes to their overall state of being.

            The Coca Cola company has also tried to make wellness programs convenient for employees. Information on how to eat healthy and the type of exercise to engage in is made easily available to all interested parties. The company also gives early notice regarding outdoor activities meant for team building (Coca Cola, 2020). The early notice gives employees enough time to prepare and get in shape for the activities that will be carried out. The team building activities are further designed in such a way that they equip employees with the skills needed for communication, innovation and teamwork. Health professionals are also invited to the company instead of forcing employees to visit medical institutions (Quelch & Knoop, 2018). The professionals provide information that is crucial to employee wellness as it educates them on how to exercise, dietary needs and knowledge on how to remain safe in their working areas.

            Other than promoting wellness, the company also ensures that it offers healthy choices for all its employees. Emphasis is placed on healthy foods especially for employee meals while in the workplace and during training. Traditions that involved consumption of food such as birthdays and special occasions offer healthy food options to discourage unhealthy diets for employees (Coca Cola, 2020). Vending machines are also stacked with healthy food alternatives such as almonds and snacks that have a low nutrient content. Healthy options promote healthy eating which in turn motivates employees to be mindful of what they consume even when at home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coaching

            The Coca Cola company utilizes the coaching leadership style to boost team morale and foster good relationships with the employees by aligning their interests with those of the organization. The relationships established during coaching help the management to identify individual employee strengths and potential for growth. The information is helpful in assigning tasks and forming teams as the management is able to identify areas where individual employees are likely to excel in. the coaching is also beneficial in that it helps employees to identify areas that cause problems for them when performing duties and therefore how to go about improving. Coaching also helps employees to adapt to changes in the organization as it provides a guideline that employees can follow when performing their duties.

            The pressure to grow has made coaching an essential element for business growth and success. In order to be innovative, organizations have to adopt a diverse workforce and foster effective teams that can utilize the ideas generated by other team members and come up with an innovative product or service (Insala, 2019). Since the needs and wants of the customers are constantly evolving, coaching helps to establish proper channels of communication between the employees and the top management. Effective communication allows for effective feedback and quick decision making (Coca Cola, 2020). For Coca Cola, the lines of communication help to identify trends in the market and development of innovative ideas on how to exploit the opportunities created by the change in customer needs and wants.

            Coaching is also important in that it equips employees with the skills and knowledge needed to properly represent the company. For Coca Cola, employees act as the main source of contact between the organization and its employees (Coca Cola, 2020). The company carries out coaching to train employees on how to be proper brand ambassadors for the company. The employees are taught how to interact with customers, introduce and promote new products and also provide information to potential customers.

            The company’s approach to coaching is one that tries to fit in the learning alongside other activities. Employees are trained on the job as this gives them the exact experience they will have when performing their duties. Learning on the job helps to introduce employees to any changes early in advanced and in an environment that encourages asking questions and mistakes (Hull, 2017). The coaching is structured in such a way that the skills gained will help employees become better at their jobs and also motivate them to be more innovative. When employees learn new skills, they are motivated to try something new and experiment with different approaches when performing duties. The knowledge gained ensures that the innovations have credibility and are designed to improve the efficiency and quality of work that employees engage in.

            Coaching has an added advantage in that it helps employees to grow specific skills. although coaching is designed to enhance employee’s ability and efficiency when performing duties, managers can also use it to grow a specific skill for individual employees. Individuals with exemplary leadership skills for example can receive a different form of coaching that seeks to make them good leaders. The coaching will therefore focus on equipping the individual with the skills and knowledge needed to make an effective leader (Insala, 2019). The managers should therefore try and identify special skills that individuals may possess that could be utilised to assist in meeting the company objectives. Enhancing specific skills positively motivates employees as it helps them to meet their personal objectives while still meeting the goals set by the organization. Caution should however be observed as growing specific skills for individuals could create inequality within the organization. Managers must ensure that the knowledge and skills provided are accessible to all employees so as to discourage preferential treatment for some employees.

References

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Christiansen, B., & Chandan, H. C. (2017). Handbook of research on organizational culture        and diversity in the modern workforce. IGI Global

Coca Cola, (2020) “About Coca Cola” retrieved from, https://www.coca-colacompany.com/

Colvin, H. M., & Taylor, R. M., (2012). Building a resilient workforce: Opportunities for the       Department of Homeland Security: workshop summary. The national academies press

Cummings, T. G., & Worley, C. G. (2015). Organization development & change. Australia,         Cengage Learning

Hall L, (2017) “Occupational health and wellbeing” Civica, retrieved from,             https://www.personneltoday.com/hr/coaching-employees-can-help-deal-change-     stress/

Heathfield M, (2020) “Understanding stress and how it affects your career” Work Life      Balance, retrieved from, https://www.thebalancecareers.com/understanding-stress-      and-how-it-affects-the-workplace-1919200

Insala, (2019) “Benefits of coaching for individuals” retrieved from,           https://www.insala.com/blog/6-benefits-of-coaching-for-individuals

Kinder, A., Hughes, R., & Cooper, C. L. (2008). Employee well-being support: A workplace        resource. Chichester, England. John Wiley & Sons

Quelch, J. A., & Knoop, C.-I. (2018). Compassionate management of mental health in the            modern workplace. Cham, Switzerland. Springer

United States Department of Commerce, (2016) “Best practices in achieving workforce    diversity” retrieved from, https://govinfo.library.unt.edu/npr/library/workforce-  diversity.pdf