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Workplace well-being is having its moment. I think that’s safe to say, even though, yes, I’m saying it as a Chief Well-Being Officer. Never before have we had the opportunity we now have to redefine work around well-being. Never before have both employees and leaders been more in alignment on the value and necessity of well-being, both in their organizations and in their lives. We have the opportunity to create the world of work that we want to work in. Both the possibilities and the challenges of making that a reality are laid out in a new report from Deloitte and research firm Workplace Intelligence.

Over 2,000 employees and C-suite leaders across four countries — the U.S., U.K., Canada and Australia — were surveyed. One of the most remarkable findings was this gap: While 91 percent of the C-suite leaders think their employees believe they care about employee well-being, only 56 percent of employees agree. What could explain that gap? The fact that the leaders seem to be even more burned out than their employees. While 57 percent of employees said they’re seriously considering quitting their job for one with more well-being, an amazing 70 percent of executives said they’re also considering leaving. Nearly seven in ten employees said better well-being is more important than career advancement, and over eight in ten C-suite leaders agreed.

To me, what the report shows is that if we’re going to create the world we want to work in, if we’re going to make well-being the core of how we work, it’s not going to be a top-down process. The workforce has an essential role to play, because it’s clear that the solution can’t fall on the shoulders of the C-suite alone. It’s going to require all of us, at every level, to come together and create the change we want to see.

First, identify leaders within your organization who are already leading on well-being. Creating a culture of well-being can’t just be an HR thing — the scope of what’s needed goes way beyond what HR can control. So find your allies. If there aren’t already co-workers leading the way, find those whose passion for well-being gives them the potential to lead on this issue. Those who might influence change today are going to be the leaders of tomorrow. Once you have your allies, start building your well-being “movement” from within.

To read more of Jen Fisher's article, please click here.