How 'Inside Out 2' Can Guide HR in Employee Wellbeing

Disney Pixar’s latest ‘Inside Out’ sequel has become the highest-grossing animated movie of all time.

Millions of people have flocked to the cinema to watch the motion picture, which explores a world where our complex inner emotions are personified as unique and endearing characters.

The record-breaking movie follows the main character, Riley, and her emotions as she approaches puberty and anxiously awaits starting at a new high school.

Inside Riley’s head, still steering the ship, are the characters Joy, Anger, Sadness, Disgust, and Fear. However, things are thrown into disarray when puberty comes into play, introducing Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, and Ennui (the feeling of boredom, lack of excitement and weariness).

But how can we look at the message of this movie through an employee wellbeing lens you might ask?

Five Things We Can Takeaway From ‘Inside Out 2’:  

1. The Importance of Considering Employee Wellbeing Through Situational Changes

Just like the main character, Riley, moving into her formative adolescent years, growing up can be a difficult time.  

While many of us in the workforce have long passed through those tricky teenage changes, we are not excluded from evolving and changing as people as we go through life.  Difficult and unexpected events can arise, drastically changing us and our personal lives indefinitely.

Creating a workplace that is prepared to be flexible and has the resources to support employees through trying times is vital to protecting people’s wellbeing.  

According to the World Health Organisation, an estimated 12 billion working days are lost every year due to depression and anxiety. Having measures in place for workers reduces sick leave, improves staff retention, and creates a nurturing, safe space at work.  

2. Don’t Let Anxiety Take Control

It's easy to let our worries, fears, and anxiety lead our decisions. However, as we see in ‘Inside Out 2’, this only causes more problems and affects our relationships with others.  

Don’t be afraid to push the boundaries and introduce bold new strategies that might help propel your work environment forward for the benefit of employee wellbeing. Bringing fresh ideas to the table for employee wellbeing improves working relationships, showing your workforce that you care about them and not just their work.

3. A Collaborative Environment is Everything  

When Anxiety takes over, Riley’s judgment and decision-making skills are negatively impacted. However, when all the emotions work together, they can identify a healthy solution.  

In a real-life working environment, teamwork is vital to understanding your people. Don’t hesitate to collaborate with your team members and those in all areas of your company. It shows employees that you value their opinions and want to ensure everyone is considered in decisions that might affect them.  

We all come from different backgrounds, areas of expertise, generations, and lives; use this diversity of opinion to your advantage!

4. Create an Environment Where Employees Can Be Themselves  

Riley tries to suppress her personality to fit in with her peers, which ultimately leads to Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, and Ennui.

Fostering a friendly, caring environment where employees can be themselves is vitally important. An estimated 61% of UK employees said that they had left their jobs or planned to leave their current employment due to poor mental health, according to Spill.

Suppressing who we are only has a negative impact on our mental health and overall employee wellbeing.

Giving people the confidence to show their true selves, awards them the power to suggest bold and innovative ideas, creates a positive working environment, and improves employee retention.  

5. When Things Go Wrong, Reach Out  

Sometimes, we need the support of others to help us through difficult times, and there is no shame in reaching out to our peers.

Whether it’s a big task at work that is causing you stress or a personal problem, friends, family, and colleagues are there to help you through it.  

Here at Each Person, we are dedicated to helping HR professionals on their journey to prioritising their employees’ mental health. Through our platform, we offer a variety of resources and benefits that make employee wellbeing support accessible to your people.