Workplace wellbeing encapsulates the working life of employees within a business and looks to understand their overall wellbeing and satisfaction. It takes into consideration many aspects of office life and evaluates whether there is an opportunity to adapt processes, company structure or ethos to improve the wellbeing of employees. A happy workforce is paramount for business success; unhappy employees can lead to lower retention rates, less productivity and ultimately, it poses a risk to your company.
There are many things a business can do to achieve positive workplace wellbeing through a range of activities, strategies or company-wide changes that aim to improve the working life of employees.
Many internal and external factors determine the wellness of staff, and while employers may not have control over aspects in the personal life of an employee, there are focus areas that can be targeted to help alleviate some of the stressors they’re experiencing. Here are some of the primary focus areas that a business should consider if they’re assessing employee wellness:
The style of leadership and management plays a vital role in the wellbeing of employees across the company. If a leadership style is having a negative impact on staff, it can lead to high employee turnover and job dissatisfaction for those being led. If your employees do not agree with their leader, or their leader has a negative impact as opposed to a positive one, it can lead to fallouts and disarray amongst employees.
If an organisation isn’t communicating effectively across all departments and levels, it can lead to a disjointed operation and results in a lack of team cohesiveness. Positive communication can help to boost morale, efficiencies and help team members to feel like they’re involved with what the company is achieving. Touching on the leadership styles above, a poor leader will not communicate effectively, which can further fuel a negative relation between employees and management.
The benefits of exercise translate into higher employee performance and wellbeing. Someone who is regularly active will benefit from increased bodily functions, more energy and improved productivity. However, it can be difficult for employees to afford regular access to fitness clubs, or find the time to visit them alongside their working hours.
For this very reason, many companies are looking towards in-house fitness solutions to improve the wellbeing of their employees. It’s easy for them to access alongside their regular job, it can be offered as an employee benefit and, by offering health and fitness facilities, you can help to improve and support the mental health of your employees.
The working environment, which is everything from lighting to furnishings around the office, have an impact on your employees. The layout of an office will affect how your employees work, and ultimately their satisfaction during office hours. If you’re trying to create an environment where communication and productivity can thrive, an open office plan that encourages employee interaction would be beneficial. However, if an employee has a job that demands high-concentration, this style wouldn’t necessarily work for them.
Although employers cannot have a direct impact on the personal life of the workforce, the two are closely interlinked. If an employee has a poor balance, then their personal life can suffer, which then harms their performance. There are many HR trends and initiatives that are being widely implemented to combat this, and the results are often increased productivity, happier employees and increased retention. As an example, the following changes can be introduced to accommodate an employees work/life balance
An employee who feels unsupported will likely experience negative wellbeing at work, especially if they’re the type of person who needs support to perform well. Every employee is different, so you should cater to each individual in the way that best supports them. If you’re not sure, have a conversation to understand what actions can be taken.
Examples of support can be counselling services that are offered to employees who are experiencing something negative in their life (remember, work-life balance is crucial to facilitate employee wellbeing at work). Mentoring is also another form of support, and it focuses on having another employee guide them through their job, allowing the opportunity to discuss their role with someone outside of their department.
If an employee isn't satisfied with their role, meaning the tasks and their place within the company isn't leaving them with a positive feeling, they'll likely have a negative experience at work. There are a few indicators as to why someone may not be satisfied, and one of the most effective ways to understand this is to ask employees questions regarding their role, such as the following:
If they're not satisfied, being flexible within a company to move them to another department or change what they're involved in can have positive results, and it shows you care and are willing to listen to your employees' problems.
Now that we've discussed some of the factors that come into play when talking about workplace wellbeing, how can you, as an employer, understand the current happiness or employees?
Why not try an anonymous feedback form to give your team an opportunity to explain the situation from their own mouth? Although you can get a general feel for workplace wellbeing, such an activity can help you to understand the root causes, for you to then take action.
Our mission is to make it easy for companies to introduce health and wellness programmes into their organisation and benefit from happier employees and an improved level of workplace wellbeing. We offer services in gym design and installation, as well as aftercare services such as virtual training solutions or sourcing professional fitness staff. On-site fitness facilities can be a fantastic employee benefit to offer, and it's an effective way to improve your workplace wellbeing.
