The Mindfulness Blog

Other than serving as a short-hand term for anything we don't like or agree with what, exactly, does "woke" mean?

Before it became a favorite pejorative, "woke" meant little more than keeping one's eyes open, and it started as a simple term that wasn't charged with political meaning. But thanks to the national coverage that certain would-be presidential candidates have recently received, that has changed. Now, "woke" is other-speak for an idea that should be condemned-- an idea that should die an unceremonious death.

Using that putative characterization as a working definition, I can confidently state that wellbeing-- in the workplace, as well as in the home-- is not "woke". And it definitely will not die, because of one simple fact: The individuals who could benefit from the initiation of meaningful workplace wellbeing, also represent a benefit to the business by which they are employed.

I understand that many business leaders wish that the notion of workplace wellbeing would go away (not to mention the costs, and other perceived complications), but that is wishful thinking-- it's also bad business judgment.

So, how have most business leaders responded-- especially those in the legal world? In a word, slowly, if at all. And their actions (or, more accurately, inactions) speak louder than words.

One needn't get into the stated explanations for the all-too-common virtue-signaling and inaction-- they're easily debunked. It is, however, increasingly important for workplace wellbeing to be taken seriously, and not dismissed as just another "woke" idea that will go away if ignored long enough.

The eyes of individual workers have been opened to the need for wellbeing-- both at home, and in the workplace. The only open question is: When will our business leaders listen, and do something about it?