In love with life and work

Soft fascination, symbolising gentle divergences from the routine at workplaces, can turn beneficial for employees, writes Umashankar K

I ’d like to get away from earth awhile

And then come back to it and begin over.

May no fate willfully misunderstand me

And half grant what I wish and snatch me away

Not to return. Earth’s the right place for love:

I don’t know where it’s likely to go better.

- Robert Frost, Birches (Lines 48-53)

In the above lines, the poet is longing for momentary solace, replicating one’s openness to the gentle stimuli and the tender revival of emotional aberrations caused by the bustling world. Nature and poetry become a cradle for the agitated minds, which experience momentary transcendence to the world of imagination, just to come back to reality with renewed rigour. This practice may reflect the hedonistic tendencies of professionals during free time. However, the poetic description contradicts the hedonistic practices and validates the psychological healing power of ‘soft fascination’.

According to the Attention Retention Theory of Kaplan (1989), an individual involved in mild engagement and adjusting their mental bandwidth to the natural surroundings can be termed as having soft fascination. Besides, nature doesn’t need to be the only source of soft fascination; it can also be found through other practices, such as bibliotherapy, biophilia, mindfulness, and others.

In the organisational context, organisations have acknowledged the social and economic impact of psychological well-being, and this is leading to mediocre business performance. Although organisations have been investing a significant corpus in various well-being platforms and activities, such as counselling apps, access to compassionate leave, and managerial accountability for employees’ health, well-being concerns still infiltrate the workforce.

A recent report by Deloitte (September 2022) states that the poor mental well-being of employees is costing Indian companies $14 billion. This is in the form of absenteeism ($1.9 billion), presenteeism ($6.6 billion), and attrition ($5.9 billion). Organisations must reflect on the fact that employees are human beings. Besides, the biological, neurological, and psychological aspects remain primordial despite transformative advancements in socio-economic dynamics.

According to Kellert and Wilson (1993), human evolutionary design is characterised by an inherent craving for nature, aesthetic sensibilities, and a desire for solitude. This scientific assumption plays a crucial role in understanding the well-being concerns of employees and initiating a holistic intervention that can help them reconnect with their roots and cope with psychological distortions.  

When bibliotherapy heals

This is a form of psychotherapy that addresses identified psychological issues by utilising specific reading materials, typically fiction or poetry derived from literature. Bibliotherapy is a widely self-driven therapy, often in the form of self-help books that people consume directly. According to Neuroaesthetics (a study of neurobiological changes influenced by aesthetic experience), reading poetry or fiction stimulates the amygdala, the primary centre of emotions, which can influence the neural pathways that shape the way we think and feel. This acknowledges the fact that the academic and aesthetic purposes of literature are deeply rooted in the human psyche. Indeed, studies in literature may not be restricted to sustaining a livelihood or casual engagement, but can improve the overall quality of life. 

La Trobe University, Melbourne (2022) is pursuing the practice of bibliotherapy wherein poetry or short stories are collectively read in a group. Such collective reading is believed to help in the overall well-being of the staff. The data suggests that the bibliotherapy helped staff members overcome stress and anxiety inflicted by COVID-19.

Goldman Sachs incorporates bibliotherapy into its leadership training programmes, utilising literature to develop narrative intelligence through various stages. In addition to being cost-efficient to the organisation, these practices can help employees reflect and act collectively for the betterment of workplace dynamics.

The implementation of bibliotherapy may not be sophisticated. An example from McKinsey showed the various stages, including defining the purpose, identifying people and sources, facilitating collective reading, recording catharsis (if any), and building organisational relevance. A report by McKinsey states that bibliotherapy has been an effective tool in building narrative intelligence among leaders and designing strategic narratives for the organisation.     

Benefits of biophilia

Biophilia, coined by E O Wilson, a biologist, is the innate love for life that assumes that humans are genetically connected with the ecosystem, and the wilderness/vegetation can heal psychobiological ailments. Considering that humans are innately connected to nature and its power of revival, some pioneering organisations have been promoting biophilic infrastructure, such as gardens and aquariums. For example, Google offices worldwide have been transformed into thriving green spaces, and 25 offices also cultivate vegetables in their office ecospace.

Employees’ gentle engagement with biophilic structures and horticulture practices at the workplace can promote psychological well-being, resulting in improved workplace performance. David Arena of JP Morgan Chase opines that people’s sensory engagement with the biophilic essence of an office space can enhance their mental well-being. 

While examining the neuropsychological benefits of ‘Soft Fascination’ through bibliotherapy and biophilia, the article proposes the following practices in organisations. 

Promoting nature journaling among employees to foster a sense of connection with the natural environment.

Facilitating collective poetry reading in biophilic spaces helps in team bonding and stress management.

Create lyric boards along the biophilic sidewalks to revive employees’ emotional health. 

Integrate literary reading (stories) in leadership training to develop narrative intelligence.

Establish mindfulness pods to encourage self-reflection through immersive poetry reading.

It is time for the corporate world to reflect on the forgotten essence of Hom Sapiens and reestablish a connection with our true selves.