In recent years, we’ve seen more and more companies move away from the “leave your personal life at the office door” mentality to focus on employee wellness. But is it enough? A recent study from Colonial Life reveals that work remains to be one of the biggest sources of stress and worries for 29 percent of individuals, with finances being a close second at 24 percent, and their health at 17 percent.[1]
Given how much undue stress affects the workforce and businesses by extension, employers need to redouble their efforts in promoting workplace well-being, and it should go beyond giving employees free gym memberships or discount coupons to healthy restaurants.
Workplace well-being, according to the International Labour Organization, relates to all aspects of working life, including quality and safety of the physical environment, how workers feel about their work and working environment, the climate at work and the organization itself. [2] In essence, the goal should be to ensure that your workers are healthy, safe, satisfied and engaged at work.
Looking to create a sense of well-being in your company? Consider starting with these ideas.
Address Employee Burnout
Employee stress leads to decreased productivity and engagement, and increased absenteeism. In some cases, excessive stress can literally drive workers out of the company in order to look for a new job. Left unchecked, employee burnout is going to continue to cost businesses billions every week. HR needs to take a more proactive stance on the matter by teaching employees to look out for signs of stress in themselves before it reaches critical levels. [3] Provide workers with the necessary support and resources to address the issue and prevent it from happening again.
Individualize Well-Being Packages
Health and well-being are deeply personal matters. No two employees will have the exact same needs that can be fulfilled by a generic, one-size-fits-all approach. Maybe one of your workers would like to have a flexible schedule instead of transportation allowances. Individualizing your workplace well-being programme allows you to cater to everyone’s needs. Start off by asking your employees what perks they would likely benefit more from, and then build packages designed specifically for them.
Invest in Financial Education
Seeing that financial health is a major stressor for employees, financial education is another sound workplace well-being initiative.[4] Workers would certainly appreciate it if you not only equip them with the necessary training to do their jobs well, but also the know-how to stay on top of their own financial well-being. Lengthy seminars or even just short crash courses on the subject can go a long way, but they will have to be based on the different stages of one’s life and career to be effective. For instance, you can host a workshop on how to budget for your younger employees or help more tenured employees get started on retirement planning.
Changing your culture to accommodate these ideas might take some work, but it will be well worth it in the end. Having a happy, healthy workforce will put you on the right path to success.
Sources:
[1] Worrying Is a Symptom of Employee Stress, HR Bartender
[2] Workplace well-being, International Labour Organization
[3] The Top 5 Workplace Wellbeing Trends for 2019, Undercover Recruiter
[4] 14 Employee Well-Being Initiatives That Will Boost Engagement and Productivity, Forbes
