Wellbeing In The Workplace

Posted by ESGmark on 30th July 2020 -

Wellbeing. Most people have an idea about what this means to them and its importance - arguably, the multifaceted term is ultimately defined by achieving a thriving and truly content life, both mentally and physically. With most of us spending the majority of our lives at work, wellbeing in the workplace is a matter to be taken seriously. However, with 82% of SMEs not having any kind of wellbeing strategy, there appears to be a clear implementation gap. As issues such as mental health come to the forefront and the notion of ‘burn-out’ is now recognised by the WHO as an occupational phenomenon, it seems there is still a real need to embed a healthy wellbeing strategy in many workplace settings, no matter what their size.

Creating a holistic plan ingrained within a business brings a multitude of benefits. Many research reports have proved the economic benefits to wellbeing investment, with Harvard University researchers finding with every dollar a business spends on wellbeing programmes, costs fell $2.73 in absenteeism and $3.27 in medical expenses. Positive returns often occur as implementing a successful strategy can boost employee morale and engagement as an inclusive culture is created, whereby increased transparency and recognition can enact lasting change.

A wellbeing strategy involves several pillars. In this first of a two-part blog series, we focus on the importance and benefits of giving your employees a voice and healthy habits.

Giving your employees a voice

• Firstly, every business in some form should carry out gap analysis by comparing with similar employers and reviewing any existing policies. For example, engaging with employees through surveys may be useful to better understand employees’ needs and opinions. Data analysis of key metrics such as productivity, employee retention rates and absence days may help to better define areas which may need to be addressed to cultivate a greater sense of wellbeing within your organisation.

• Through this analysis and employee involvement, you can gain an insight to enable personalisation of the environment and rewards, treating your team as individuals. For example, some may appreciate complementary yoga sessions or walking groups at lunch, whereas others require more flexibility in working hours.

• The workspace itself is an important factor to well-being and shouldn’t be forgotten. Consider if open office space is conducive to your particular working environment or maybe it’s time to rethink the set-up, perhaps creating ‘chill out’ or quiet zones. Research from Exeter University found employees who have control of the layout of workspace could be up to 32% more productive.

• Peer-to-peer mentoring rather than being exclusively manager-led is an important way to empower your employees and foster a collegiate environment. Allowing mutual support and praise gives employees an opportunity to build confidence in their own capabilities and increase mental resilience. The Society for Human Resource Management found a peer-to-peer model is nearly 36% more likely to have a positive impact financially than manager recognition alone.

Encouraging healthy habits

• A major issue in many workplace settings is ‘presenteeism’, whereby people work when unwell which often results in a severe lack of productivity. A “face-time” culture, whereby employees feel pressured by the need to be seen or be available outside of designated working hours, often has the same effect. A 2019 survey by RAND corporation found on average 38 productive days per employee are lost due to absence or ‘presenteeism.’ This is becoming an upward trend (in 2014 it was 23 days lost), as organisations continue to ignore unhealthy working practises. Instead there needs to be a clear encouragement to adhere to working hours and take time off when unwell as appropriate, as an unhealthy routine will spiral into an expensive ineffective working environment.

• Promoting physical wellbeing, particularly for desk bound jobs, is hugely important. This could be as simple as creating exercise groups (a lunchtime or after work yoga or running club perhaps) or encouraging employees to take the stairs. Even providing fresh fruit can be a small, but very welcome token to generate a healthy culture.

Next time, we share suggestions about investing in your employees and creating a supportive culture for mental health.