When We Care for Our Team, We Strengthen Our Mission
By Thiopia Ash, SHRM-CP, SHRM-TAS, ISSA-CPT Chief People Officer People and Compliance
At Wellspring Living, we love what we do. It is an honor and a privilege to be part of work that allows us to walk alongside individuals as they heal, grow, and build toward their futures. There is purpose in this work, and for many of us, it is more than a job. It is a calling. But I also believe that honoring the work means honoring ourselves as the people called to do it.
In my role leading People and Compliance at Wellspring Living, I have a unique view of the employee experience. I see people as they join our organization excited about the work ahead, as they grow into new roles and leadership opportunities, and during seasons when the work or life itself becomes difficult. Those experiences have taught me that well-being is not something we can separate from the workplace. People bring their whole selves to the work they do. When we create a culture where employees feel valued, supported, and encouraged to care for themselves, we are not only investing in them as individuals. We are strengthening our teams, our organization, and ultimately our ability to serve our participants well.
Mental and emotional well-being have naturally been important parts of that conversation. We encourage employees to use available resources, take time away from work, and recognize when they need support. We have also intentionally incorporated mental health days into our holiday calendar because rest should not only happen after someone reaches a point of exhaustion. But I believe our next chapter is about thinking even more broadly about well-being.
My own understanding of wellness has evolved significantly. Over the past year, I have become much more intentional about movement, strength, and taking care of myself. That journey eventually led me to become a Certified Personal Trainer, but what I have gained extends far beyond fitness. I have experienced firsthand how the habits we build for ourselves can influence our energy, confidence, resilience, and even how we show up for the people around us. It has challenged me to think differently about self-care, not as something we turn to only when we are overwhelmed, but as something we practice consistently so we can continue showing up well.
Self-care, then, is much bigger than an occasional day off or doing something relaxing. It is developing practices that allow us to continue showing up as healthy, whole people. Movement can relieve stress. Rest can improve our ability to think and respond. Nutrition can affect our energy. Boundaries can protect our emotional health. Connection can remind us that we do not have to navigate difficult seasons alone.
Wellspring Living encourages the participants we serve to develop healthy coping skills, establish boundaries, care for their bodies and minds, and build sustainable practices for their futures. As an organization, we should be willing to model those same principles for the people who serve them. We are continuing to explore what that can look like in our culture. That means keeping mental and emotional wellness at the forefront while creating more opportunities to talk about physical well-being, movement, stress management, rest, and sustainable healthy habits. It also means continuing to equip leaders to recognize the human being behind the employee.
One of our values at Wellspring Living is “Appreciation for the Individual”. To me, well-being is one of the clearest ways we can live that value. Appreciating the individual means recognizing that our employees are more than the roles they perform. They are whole people with families, responsibilities, goals, challenges, and lives outside of Wellspring.
As we recognize Self-Care Awareness Month this September, we continue moving beyond simply encouraging self-care and toward building a culture where caring for yourself is supported, modeled, and understood as essential. Because when we care for the people who carry the mission, we strengthen their ability to support it well.
