Valoria survey: Employees appreciate companies that include self-discovery programs in their benefit mix

The consulting company Valoria  has launched the self-discovery program called Experience Clarity. The program runs online and is aimed at people who want to overcome their fears, limitations, procrastination using their own mind mechanisms and emotional intelligence. The decision meets a new trend in employee benefits for employees.

According to a flash survey conducted by the Valoria team between June 22 and September 22, 2020, the personal development benefits most appreciated by employees today include coaching and self-discovery programs (88%), emotional resilience and/or emotional intelligence trainings (76%), as well as mindfulness (73%) and personal productivity programs (73%).

Other topics of great interest for personal development benefits mentioned by the 627 respondents, employees from 15 industries, in this survey included: decision-making techniques (66%), strategic thinking (61%), creativity techniques (54%), design thinking (52%), persuasive communication (49%).

Also, the level of satisfaction with the employer is, on average, 17 percentage points higher in the case of companies that offer this type of coaching programs than those that do not have this approach.

“Although the focus is still on employee safety, many companies have already acted to support their mental well-being during this period. The modalities took various forms, from coaching programs, the support of psychologists, webinars aimed at managing emotions and self-knowledge. All this adds to the already existing trend among young people who put at the forefront the aspiration to be fulfilled in all aspects of their lives: family, profession, relationships, community,“ says Elena Badea, Managing Director, Valoria.

Beyond the immediate positive impact brought about by improving the internal balance of employees affected by physical distancing and the impact of the pandemic, the program is also relevant for young Generation Z (people born between 1995 and 2010) who have lived their whole lives in the VUCA world, characterized by volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity.

This generation is constantly between reality and virtual, between online and offline life, with all the pros and cons generated mentally by this situation. It should be noted that many studies have shown that this oscillation between the two worlds has negative effects on their feelings of happiness and contentment.

“Self-knowledge and knowledge of others remain important assets for team cooperation, especially when working remotely or hybrid. The Romanian saying << do on to other as they do on to you >> describes a more than desirable behavior in the organization, closely related to the value of RESPECT. This level is fundamental. Belonging to a successful team means the next level of knowledge and action. There is in the use of the psychological profile Emergenetics the urge to “treat others as they want to be treated”. It’s about EMPATHY. If we add to the respect and empathy the way we can become better in CRITICAL THINKING (identifying our own thinking preferences) we have the cocktail necessary for individual and team success “, says George Agafiței, coach and trainer.

The Experience Clarity program begins with a strategy session that aims to assess the starting point and set goals to be achieved. This is followed by a series of coaching sessions that reveal to the participants the mechanisms of inner reality and guide them towards inner balance, authenticity and clarity. Depending on the situation, there may be individual, group or team coaching sessions. The inner evolution of the participants towards balance and emotional resilience is measured with specialized tests.