Employee well-being is a hot topic in the business world right now.
With studies showing that employee well-being directly impacts productivity and company profits, it’s no wonder that more and more businesses are looking for ways to support and promote employee well-being.
This blog post will discuss some of the best ways to do that!
What is Employee Well-Being?
Employee well-being is an overlooked but essential component of employee health and satisfaction.
Employers need to prioritize employee well-being for a happier and healthier workforce.
This could mean anything from offering flexibility with working hours to providing mental health support options or emotional coaching.
On a fundamental level, employee well-being aims to ensure that workers can be present and engaged in their day-to-day jobs, so they feel equipped to handle challenges in the workplace.
Companies should consider employee well-being initiatives as a calculated investment into their business’s success over time.
With better mental health strategies, employee wellness programs, and improved work culture, employees will be more motivated to stick around longer and contribute positively to their organization’s bottom line.
Employee Well-Being Benefits
Studies have shown that employee well-being can improve employee performance, job satisfaction, and retention.
But that’s not all; let’s look at how focusing on employee well-being in the workplace can benefit your business.
Benefit 1: Increased Company Morale
Investing in employee well-being benefits is a win-win situation for the employee and employer.
Employees get to experience improved physical and mental health, and companies often get to experience increased employee morale.
Studies have shown that employee well-being in the workplace ultimately results in increased company morale.
When employees feel supported, they’re more likely to:
- Be motivated and put in their best effort at work
- Be focused and productive during working hours
- Want to return the favor and return the support by doing extra for their employers
Focusing on employee well-being and engaging with your team regularly will result in a healthier work environment where everyone feels their voices are heard.
Benefit 2: Increased Employee Productivity
Investing in employee well-being in the workplace is a surefire way to increase productivity and ultimately lead to a more successful business.
- Companies that prioritize employee wellness find that employees show greater focus and motivation, resulting in increased output and better results over time.
- A comprehensive employee well-being plan can help create an environment where employees feel respected, valued, and appreciated.
- This sense of fulfillment motivates them to stay engaged with their responsibilities, which translates to higher performance standards from each employee and, on the whole, makes for a much more productive team overall.
The end result? A team of inspired and motivated employees who are more productive than ever, propelling your business forward.
Benefit 3: Improved Employee Health
An employee well-being program in the workplace can substantially benefit businesses – improved employee health.
By providing physical and mental resources such as:
- standing desks
- flexible work hours
- stress relief programs
- employee discounts at gyms,
They are empowered to manage their overall health and wellness more effectively, which can help foster an environment that enables workers to be productive, engaged, and happy at work.
This is beneficial for businesses because a team of healthy and active employees often leads to the following:
- increased collaboration
- satisfaction
- better job performance
- employee buy-in of company initiatives
- reduced healthcare costs and absenteeism due to sickness or injury
Employee well-being benefits businesses because it helps create a healthier, more engaged workforce.
Benefit 4: Reduced Healthcare Costs
Investing in employee well-being in the workplace has been proven to have a great payoff – reduced healthcare costs.
Studies have found that employee well-being programs can reduce healthcare-related expenses by 20%, resulting in significant business cost savings.
This is due to the following:
- less sick days
- obtaining earlier access to preventative care,
- encouraged healthier living habits among employees
- fewer healthcare premiums as healthier employees require fewer medical needs and treatments
Companies should consider implementing employee well-being initiatives as part of their sustainability efforts and investment portfolio, as it benefits employee quality of life and yields financial returns.
Benefit 5: Decrease in Employee Absence
One of the main advantages of promoting employee well-being is that it can help decrease employee absence and improve overall attendance.
- Employees valued and cared for are more likely to show up for work, leading to improved productivity.
- Companies that focus on employee well-being often worry less about staffing shortages or spending resources trying to cover for an employee who has unexpectedly gone off sick.
Studies have also shown that this leads to lower employee turnover rates. Hence, companies see a double benefit from employee well-being in increased attendance and decreased employee attrition.
While employee absence can never be wholly stopped, investing in employee well-being is undoubtedly a good step forward!
Benefit 6: Improve Employee Recruitment
It’s no secret that employee recruitment can be a massive challenge for business owners.
Fortunately, employee well-being in the workplace is an effective way to improve employee recruitment.
Not only does encouraging employee well-being bring in more talent that perceives the company as an attractive workplace, but it also gives existing staff incentive to stay with the organization and remain productive.
The rise of mental health awareness has made employee well-being a critical factor in employee recruitment.
Taking care of your team is morally essential and pays dividends regarding long-term employee retention and morale.
7 Pillars of Employee Well-Being
Employee well-being in the workplace is an important factor in the success of any business.
To ensure employee health and happiness, one must focus on their well-being. Employee well-being can be broken down into seven key pillars.
The 7 Pillars of employee well-being are
- Purpose Well-Being
- Emotional Well-Being
- Community Well-Being
- Social Well-Being
- Financial Well-Being
- Career Well-Being
- Physical Well-Being
When all seven of these pillars are addressed, and employee well-being is met with attentive care from management and employers alike, an atmosphere is created that allows employees to feel safe and secure, which leads to a happier work environment and improved productivity.
Purpose Well-Being
Pillar 1: Purpose Well-Being focuses on employee fulfillment front and center.
Employees want to feel that their work has meaning and that they are contributing to something bigger than themselves.
This pillar focuses on employee engagement, motivation, and employee satisfaction. Companies should focus on providing employees with purposeful work and ensuring their input is valued and appreciated.
Work that employees find meaningful is work that:
- They find enjoyable: Employees are more productive and creative when they do work they enjoy and play to their specific skillset.
- Has a measurable impact on their company’s success: Many people spend the majority of their day at work, so it’s crucial that they feel that time is well spent. Being able to see tangible proof that their work has had an effect on the company’s operations will encourage them to keep working hard.
- Challenges them to grow and learn: Growth is vital for employee fulfillment, and providing employees with tasks that stretch them can help maintain employee engagement.
- Connects with their individual values: Employees should be able to relate to their tasks and feel that the company is aligned with their values. Having work that connects with their unique values will make employees proud to be a part of your company and to contribute to your business.
From offering employee recognition to providing access to valuable resources, businesses should seek to engage employees in a meaningful way, creating employee-oriented policies designed to build employee morale and positive relationships.
By understanding the employee’s needs and striving to create an environment that considers those needs, employers can create workplaces that benefit both employee and employer.
Emotional Well-Being
Mental and emotional health is just as crucial for keeping employees happy and productive at work as physical well-being.
Employers can do their part to foster employee emotional well-being by:
- reducing stressors in the workplace, such as overly demanding workloads or unrealistic expectations
- Offering employee assistance programs (EAPs) to provide employees with support when they need it
- Creating a safe and supportive environment by having an open-door policy and ensuring employee feedback is taken seriously.
- Ensuring employees have healthy boundaries between their personal and professional lives and are free to take breaks when necessary.
- Providing resources to support employee mental health, such as mental health days, employee access to mental health professionals, or employee stress management training.
Employers should strive to create an atmosphere of trust and respect to foster employee emotional well-being. By supporting employee well-being on all levels, employers can create a healthier work environment for everyone involved.
Employee well-being in the workplace should be a priority for any manager.
Creating a sense of community amongst your employees will increase employee satisfaction and productivity.
It can be as simple as starting off meetings with a round-table discussion or introducing activities during the workday that encourage employees to interact.
Building a culture of respect, collaboration, and trust between coworkers will help create an environment where each employee feels secure and motivated, ultimately leading to workplace success.
Taking time to recognize employee achievements can also make them feel like their hard work is appreciated.
Utilize employee recognition tools such as Terryberry Employee recognition software to make employee recognition more accessible and more effective.
A little investment in employee morale can go a long way!
Social Well-Being
Employees spend a large chunk of their lives in the workplace and must experience social well-being.
Not only does employee well-being impact employee engagement and retention, but it is also essential for an employee’s mental and physical health.
A sense of belonging, feeling valued and respected and having relationships with colleagues are all vital elements to employee well-being in the workplace.
Employers should recognize that employee well-being in the workplace transcends physical health and safety concerns; it involves providing an environment where people can:
- collaborate
- communicate
- and connect
With their colleagues.
With a well-rounded employee well-being program in place, employers are helping to create a workspace where people feel connected to the organization’s mission, do meaningful work, and can better engage with each other on all levels.
Financial Well-Being
A sense of financial well-being amongst staff promotes a more confident workforce and encourages employee loyalty – two critical elements to a successful business model.
Employers should focus on providing their workforce with meaningful employee benefits related to their finances that offer short- and long-term future peace of mind.
Companies should take employee financial well-being seriously and focus on providing the tools and services necessary to ensure their workforce is secure and well-informed financially.
Financial literacy programs can help employees make informed decisions about their finances, while employee benefits such as:
- pensions
- stock options
- quality, affordable insurance
And other resources can reduce employee stress related to financial issues, which can, in turn, increase employee productivity and dedication.
Plus, ensuring your employees are financially supported will lead to employees staying with your company for longer.
By offering employees financial wellness resources and benefits, employers are helping to create a stronger, more confident, secure, and thriving employee base.
Career Well-Being
Career Well-Being is a critical element to include in employee engagement within the workplace.
Career well-being means employees feel a sense of purpose, satisfaction, and progress in their job roles.
It’s a crucial factor in employee motivation and happiness, which leads to improved employee performance and job satisfaction.
Career Well-Being can be strengthened through developmental opportunities such as:
- skill-building workshops
- providing employees access to mentors and coaches
- regular check-ins with leadership to assess employee progress and areas for improvement
- Employee recognition and reward systems to ensure that employee milestones, accomplishments, and good work are acknowledged
Career well-being also involves employers equipping employees with the necessary tools to do their job efficiently, such as ensuring all software and technology is up to date and providing employees with supplies needed to complete their work at no cost.
Investing in employee well-being will create a positive work environment where people are inspired to do their best work, feel valued, and are committed to their employers.
Physical Well-Being
Recent studies suggest that physical well-being is one of the most critical factors in employee satisfaction and everyday performance.
It’s also been found that workers who experience a sense of physical well-being have improved focus and more positive attitudes and are less likely to feel overwhelmed or stressed when facing challenges.
By making sure employees have access to:
- good quality physical activities such as yoga classes, running groups, and fitness facilities
- increased light exposure
- ergonomic workstations
- healthy lunch choices
Businesses are empowering their staff to make healthier decisions that will positively impact their workday.
Plus, it communicates to your staff that you care about their well-being – which helps promote loyalty and morale!
By investing in employee physical well-being, businesses can vastly improve employee physical health and help foster an environment where everyone is functioning at their highest capabilities.
How to Improve Employee Well-Being
Improving employee well-being in the workplace can be a daunting task, but one that is well worth investing in.
It has been found that employee engagement and morale improve when an employee feels taken care of by their organization and its leadership.
Let’s look at a few simple ways businesses can improve employee well-being in the workplace.
Use a Whole Person Approach
At any organization, employee well-being should be a priority. To truly have an effective workplace and maintain employee satisfaction, leaders should take a whole-person approach to employee well-being.
This means holistically looking at the
- Physical
- Financial
- Mental
- and Social
Aspects of employees’ lives.
This holistic approach will enable employers to provide employees with the resources they need to manage their well-being inside and outside the office.
Physical
Feeling physically good is an integral part of employee well-being in the workplace, which should be taken seriously.
The whole-person approach to managing employee well-being considers both physical and mental health.
By supporting employees’ physical needs through activities such as
- on-site fitness classes
- encouraging employees to take proper breaks throughout the day
- healthy food options in the cafeteria
Employers can help employees stay physically healthy and create an empowering environment.
Financial
Financial health is so much more than money in the bank.
It’s a holistic approach to well-being that includes employee financial security.
The whole-person approach to financial well-being allows employees to become financially stronger while still on the job and ensure they’re equipped with the resources and job security that encourages them to contribute to your business until retirement.
Companies are taking employee financial well-being at work into account by:
- providing financial seminars and advice tailored specifically to their employee base as part of their employee benefit packages
- offering employee discounts on products and services
- Creating employee savings plans that are tailored to help employees save for their future
- Providing employee assistance programs that help employees with financial challenges, such as debt and budgeting
These measures help ensure mental and financial employee stability, promoting a healthier workplace atmosphere from which everyone benefits.
Mental
Mental health is an often overlooked employee well-being issue in the workplace.
While physical and financial well-being has become more commonplace topics of discussion, mental well-being has been left out of the conversation for too long.
Companies are looking more closely than ever before at how they can work to create an environment that helps support employee mental health.
This includes:
- offering employee mental health programs
- creating a culture of openness about employee mental health
- and providing employees with free or heavily discounted access to mental health resources
A growing emphasis on employee mental health can lead to better work environments that reduce stress and foster creativity while providing natural solutions to many of the internal struggles we all face with our work-life balance.
Social
Social interactions can significantly impact employee well-being in the workplace and how employees feel about their day-to-day job responsibilities.
Employees need to feel connected to their colleagues and the company, so creating an atmosphere of inclusivity and collaboration is important.
Creating an environment that fosters open relationships between management, staff and coworkers leads to improved morale and employee involvement which is essential for any successful business.
Healthy socialization in the workplace will make people feel included, which is the key to building trust and improving employee satisfaction.
Create a Collaborative Environment
Creating a collaborative environment is vital to employee well-being in the workplace.
It promotes uninhibited communication between team members and fosters innovative thinking, allowing for improved problem-solving abilities.
To cultivate a collaborative atmosphere, there are some simple steps you can take:
- embracing diversity
- Ensuring that everyone’s voice is heard and valued during meetings
- encouraging open communication through regular meetings and check-ins, providing mentorship opportunities for newer employees
- advocating for employee roles to intertwine across teams
- and offering constructive feedback to help employees develop their skills
Establishing an environment where staff feels comfortable interacting with each other and express ideas freely will benefit everyone.
Develop Flexible Schedules
Flexible working schedules are becoming increasingly popular in many workplaces, and for a good reason.
They are beneficial for employee well-being, as they can help to alleviate work-related stress and fatigue, giving employees more time for rest and focus on life responsibilities outside of work.
If you’re looking to develop flexible schedules within your own workplace, there are some simple ways you can do this:
- provide options for remote work or flextime hours
- set up job-sharing from employee teams
- allow employees the freedom to choose their own start and end times
- allow employees more flexibility with their day-to-day hours
By having flexible schedules in place, everyone benefits – employees enjoy a better work/life balance, while employers improve employee morale and productivity levels.
Work Smarter, Not Harder
Working smarter, not harder, is an important lesson regarding employee well-being in the workplace.
It’s so easy to get caught up in exceeding expectations that we may forget our minds and bodies need rest.
That’s why businesses must encourage employees to take breaks and figure out how they can make the most of their hours in the office without breaking their backs.
You can:
- plan ahead
- delegate tasks accordingly
- encourage regular breaks throughout the day
- and create deadlines
That will help employees stay organized while managing stress levels.
Remember to use technology by creating reminders, tracking what needs to be done, and setting alerts for when important matters arise.
As tempting as it may be to squeeze or cram extra hours into your 9-to-5 day to tick off those additional items on your to-do list – lean into the power of working smarter! Your employees will thank you for it.
Offer a Personal Development Program
If you’re looking to offer a personal development program in your workplace, you’ve made an excellent choice!
There are so many employee well-being benefits associated with offering a personal development program to your employees, such as:
- providing employees the opportunity to grow and expand in their roles
- increasing employee self-awareness
- improving communication skills
- developing leadership capabilities
- and building resilience and adaptability
There are plenty of ways you can go about implementing a personal development program:
- Start off with employee surveys to gain feedback on what kinds of activities would be most helpful and meaningful
- Plan ahead with clearly run workshops or individual coaching sessions led by professionals within their field
- And strive towards creating a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere where everyone feels safe discussing topics related to personal development
At the end of the day, your goal should be to see your employee’s confidence soar as they learn more about themselves and how to utilize their skills for success in the workplace.
Have Social Outings/Gatherings
Enhancing employee well-being in the workplace doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated.
One of the simplest yet effective ways to do this is having social outings and gatherings.
These are a great way to break up the monotony of everyday work life and create an environment of camaraderie within your team.
There are several different social outings that are appropriate for employee well-being:
- team lunches or dinners
- team-building activities
- employee appreciation days
- game nights
- holiday parties
These social events can help employees relax, build relationships with their colleagues and remember that there is a life outside work!
Create an Empathy Based Culture
Organizations need to create a culture of empathy in the workplace if they are going to prioritize employee well-being.
Some ways you can do this include
- listening to employee feedback and addressing their needs
- giving recognition when employees exceed expectations
- caring for employees mental health
- and creating spaces where people can connect with colleagues on a deeper level
Encouraging connection through meaningful conversations will create a culture where employee relationships improve over time, resulting in more significant internal trust and respect across the organization.
Employee Well-Being Wrap Up
Employee well-being in the workplace is more critical now than ever before.
We’ve discussed policies and tools that can lead to a healthier work-life balance, combat employee burnout and promote employee well-being, but did we miss anything?
Please let us know if you have any advice for how businesses can increase employee well-being in the workplace!
Everyone at the company stands united in improving employee well-being, so there’s no better time to start than right now.
