I was born in the year of the tiger, so I started 2022 with all great hopes. The tiger is commonly associated with something like bravery, courage and strength, little did I know how much of this I would need in the first few weeks of the year.
I went into the Christmas holiday, tired and thankful for having a decent break from work. A few days into that break I started to feel not myself, I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but something wasn’t right. With hindsight it’s a feeling I think I overlooked a couple of times in the last few months. A hectic work and home life sometimes makes you prioritise things in the wrong order. Despite going to 4 days a week, I probably ignored some warning signs.
Long story short, I was admitted to hospital, hunting down a diagnosis which resulted in emergency surgery, which was relatively major, hence the quietness and disappearance for a few weeks from work.
The intent of this piece is not actually one of self pity, remember I am a tiger, after all. 🐅😃.It’s actually an article of admiration for the angels of the NHS.
I spent 10 days in the care of a wonderful medical team and what struck me most was just how much of a leveller it is being in their care. These doctors and nurses are ambassadors for inclusion. They suspend judgement, they treat with neutrality, they heal with compassion, they respect uniqueness.
Being in hospital in pandemic times, I didn’t feel the pressure that’s clearly On the system. Their attention was on me and what I needed. But what did concern me were the conversations I overheard, whether it be the nurses who administered care or the porters wheeling me around. There were employees who were lost, stressed, tired and in need of support. This was a workforce who felt ignored by some of their management and it was heartbreaking to hear. Who is looking after their well-being.
Inclusion is about everyone, not just the few, so whilst I remain eternally grateful for my care, it left me sad to know that these medical angels didn’t feel that same level of care and compassion.
What are you doing to drive inclusion in your business? Do you know how your team are feeling?
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