Last week, it was World Wellbeing Week and I thought it would be interesting to take a look into the growing influence of wellbeing in the workplace.
The Aflac Workforce Study has shown that out of those employees at companies with wellbeing initiatives, 67% believe their employers care for them, and 67% are extremely or very likely to recommend their place of work to others. Employers who support the wellbeing and lifestyles of their employees are more likely to find that support reciprocated.
Happy employees= happy leaders= happy business.
People enjoy putting the work into a business that takes care of more than just their financial needs!
In fact, wellbeing initiatives are becoming a growing factor in an employee’s decision to go to work for an organisation. A study by the Virgin Health Miles, together with Workforce Magazine, reported that 87% of employees admit to considering health and wellness packages when choosing an employer, proving this to be a significant factor in attracting the right people.
It might not seem obvious at first but put it this way…you want the best people working for you and conversely, they want the best employer to work for. Solid compensation structures and employee referral bonuses no longer seal the deal. In a world where the top talent of today lives an always-on lifestyle from morning to night, inside and outside work, the need for fuel to sustain this is becoming more important.
Where to start:
Simply ask! You could do this by administering employee satisfaction surveys or employee questionnaires to understand what is needed from you, and how to provide it. Even more simply, engage in conversations. Listen to your employees. What do they like? What is important to them? What are their goals at work and outside of work? Understanding their values and their ambitions will help you to tailor an effective wellbeing initiative that aligns with these. This is why we offer customised wellbeing programmes where we can help you create a strategy and develop a plan that puts wellbeing at the heart of your company’s culture
What is a wellbeing initiative?
Implementing and sustaining events, programmes, or other incentives which contribute to the health and wellbeing of your team. This might include supporting employees in improving their diets, improving their fitness levels, their sleep patterns and reducing their stress levels. Establishing these types of initiatives within the workplace, in a group environment within a supported community, also makes achieving these goals easier and fun.
What are the benefits for you?
Well, it’s obvious what your employees gain from wellbeing initiatives, but what does it offer you as an employer, and how does it benefit your organisation?
- Your employees feel better so are therefore more productive.
- Employees feel supported, boosting your organisation’s culture. A nurturing workplace culture that prioritises wellbeing, meets the needs of today’s employees. The Virgin Health Miles/ Workforce Magazine survey showed that 70% of employees reported wellness packages as a positive impact on their work culture.
- Employees will feel more connected to your business. Engaged employees are like a walking-talking advertisement for your company, leading to the attraction and retention of top talent job seekers.
With wellbeing initiatives and wellness packages becoming more significant in a job applicant’s consideration of choosing a new employer, it is important to join the wave of companies that already have these in place.
Take a look at these companies proving they understand the value of wellbeing by promoting and encouraging it within the workplace:
- Accenture: encourage employees to set health goals and offer rewards for completing healthy activities, with discounts for gyms and fitness centers. They also provide confidential support for stress, substance abuse, depression, and anxiety. Employees appreciate companies who show they care about their team’s mental health and wellbeing, creating a stronger and better connected culture.
- Asana: provide “nap rooms” so employees can rest, recharge, and reduce stress. They also offer unlimited paid time off to help employees achieve a work-life balance. They host monthly workshops centred around health-related topics such as stress awareness.
- Google: features onsite healthcare services, including physician, chiropractic, physical therapy, and massage services, as well as access to fitness centers, classes, and community bikes. They also provide access to financial advisors and financial planning services. Employees are granted flexible hours, vacation time, and volunteer time, helping their team achieve a work-life balance.
- Microsoft: offer education and resources for smoking, weight management, and fitness training. Microsoft also fund gym memberships and fitness-related equipment while providing free Zumba classes, onsite walking and running tracks, and basketball, volleyball, and baseball courts. They hold “Know Your Numbers” events, providing employees and their partners with screenings for heart disease, diabetes, cholesterol, and blood pressure.
Don’t get left behind or lose out in attracting top performers because you can’t offer them what they’re looking for. Wellness packages don’t have to be as flashy as the ones above. It can be as simple as a cycle to work scheme, offering flexible hours or work from home days, holding educational health workshops, or subsidised memberships to gyms, clinics or spas.
The younger generation of today are aware of the importance of wellbeing, they might even have seen their own parents be run into the ground at work, suffering under immense pressure and battling stress everyday. They want something different. They want a sustainable and maintainable lifestyle. They want to enjoy their work and their time off. And this has incredible benefits for a company who gains their allegiance and trust, looking out for them which results in them looking out for you. They are more productive, engaged when they are at work, and supportive of their leaders.
Do you currently promote wellbeing in the workplace? Let us know how effective you think wellbeing initiatives are, and by all means, stop by and take a look at what wellbeing packages we could offer you. It may be that we could add to what you are already doing or give you some idea of how and where to start.
And if you’re curious to find out three practical ways to improve the health and wellbeing of your team, why not book a complimentary 30-minute Discovery call at a time to suit you, over the phone, Skype or Zoom, using our call scheduling system right here.
