Marcel Schwantes: The Adverse Effects of “People Challenges” at Work

“After checking myself into the emergency department, the ER physician called my condition stress and anxiety related. He explained that people may experience psychological distress as physical pain, a process known as somatization.” [1:35] Marcel Schwantes shares an excerpt from his up-and-coming book, a personal story of pain and stress viewed by his boss as insubordination.

“Most of us have been in varying degrees of boss-to-subordinate relationships, reporting to managers with different experience levels, personality types, and ways of seeing the world around us. Many of us were adversely affected by those work relationships and even may have lost our jobs, health, or dignity. Or perhaps worse.”[3:13] These “People Challenges” as Marcel calls them have a deep effect on our wellbeing, and when they become negative it's not only our work performance that suffers.

“Feelings of connection, belonging, psychological safety, teamwork, and close bonds are what make the best work environments.”[7:13] Marcel gets honest about the work environment people need and it’s definitely not fear. Leaders who uphold these listed qualities foster better work environments and will have healthy and more productive employees.