Many businesses or brands have made strides in caring for their employees’ mental health and wellbeing by promoting a work-life balance or encouraging employees to take some time off or seek help when they need it. Although that’s the case, brands or businesses should also go beyond mental health and ensure that an individual’s wellbeing in the workplace matters. Then, what steps can brands or businesses make when prioritizing workplace wellbeing?
Why Workplace Wellbeing Should Be A Priority
- Your employees can manage stress better and become more focused and motivated to work
- They will perform at work better
- Your employees will have reduced absences
- Your business can retain more employees
- You can establish a company culture focused on prioritizing employee wellbeing
- You will see an improvement in employee morale
- You’ll attract the best talent who considers workplace wellbeing
Four Types of Workplace Wellbeing
Physical Wellbeing
Physical wellbeing is not simply about physical fitness anymore. It’s about choices in our lifestyle to maintain our physical health while we work. Workplaces can contribute to better physical wellbeing by making changes that would benefit their employees’ health, such as eating nutritious meals and encouraging employees to pursue an active lifestyle.
Emotional Wellbeing
Many brands have shifted focus to emotional wellbeing, especially during the pandemic. Some of these brands include Unilever, Bank of America, and AT&T. And if you want to know how it’s applied to the workplace, emotional wellbeing is defined by the individual’s ability to process their emotions during stress or difficult moments.
Social Wellbeing
Social wellbeing in the workplace refers to the healthy relationships formed with co-workers. But it’s more than that. You want employees to feel like they belong and are in a good community as well. It’s one aspect that you as an employer should also look into while managing employees since professional relationships with co-workers can affect their work.
Financial Wellbeing
One overlooked aspect of workplace wellbeing is financial. Financial wellbeing refers to how individuals manage their financial obligations and reach financial security. And many employees aspire to have good pay to help them with their day-to-day living.
And if you want to tackle your employees’ financial wellbeing, you can converse with them about their current situation. From there, you can address these concerns with benefits that your employees can receive.
Programs or Benefits Brands Can Offer
Physical Wellbeing
If your business has an adequate budget, why not try signing up employees for a gym membership? Of course, it’s best to approach employees who want to go to the gym and work out. Alternatively, you can find other classes like yoga or fitness programs.
If that’s too much for you, start with something small. For example, remind employees to stand and stretch from their desks once in a while. A few minutes of stretches can make a difference daily. But of course, it’s always recommended to work out, if possible. Dedicate around 5 to 10 minutes to stand up at work every hour. Set a timer every hour, so you don’t forget it.
You can also invest in standing desks at work. This reduces the risk of prolonged sitting at work. And if you want to take it to the next level, why not have a treadmill when you have a standing desk.
Another way you could prioritize physical wellbeing at work is to provide financial assistance for your employee’s physical health. Finding an insurance provider to cover their expenses for physical check-ups or physician consultations is ideal.
Emotional Wellbeing
Checking in with your employees through surveys is a low-cost emotional wellbeing program. Why not try a weekly or monthly check-in to know the state of your employee’s mental health or emotional wellbeing. If an employee discloses they’re not doing well mentally, you can reach out to them. Or you can alert the manager on how they can help the employee.
Under emotional wellbeing, you can also introduce employee assistance programs to improve your employee’s mental health. Most businesses would identify the common emotional or mental concerns their employees are facing. From there, they’ll find a professional, like a therapist or counselor, that will talk to their employees. However, many businesses may find hiring professionals can be costly. As an alternative, you can partner with mental health startups for this purpose.
Mental health workshops can also improve your employees’ wellbeing. You can hold training sessions or seminars that can widen their knowledge about mental health topics. Some examples of workshops include:
- Mental health awareness
- Stress management
- Managerial training to help their team members with their mental health
Social Wellbeing
If you want to enhance an employee’s social wellbeing further, you can introduce programs like workshops or fun activities for employees to get along. Your company can have team-building activities or simple gatherings so employees can get to know each other better. And they can also form close bonds.
You can also use the check-in approach for social wellbeing. But this time, you can ask them here how they’re connecting with others and what could be improved when they work with others. Or how some internal processes can be improved. This will make them feel like they’re part of the company.
Employee recognition programs can also improve one’s social wellbeing in the workplace. This can work side-by-side with your financial wellbeing programs through bonuses or salary increases. However, you can also help employees move forward with their careers by giving them a promotion, more responsibilities, certificates, or awards.
Financial Wellbeing
Financial wellbeing starts with financial literacy. You can set up financial literacy programs, especially for new employees or those not knowledgeable in saving and investments. Alternatively, you can provide them with resources to become more financially literate and learn how to become financially secure.
Employees may need to consult with financial planners or consultants to guide them into becoming financially secure as they age. They could help them with budgets or long-term financial or investment goals. You can refer them to a financial coach or planner or partner with a financial advisor.
Other financial wellbeing benefits you could include are:
- Retirement
- Tuition payments
- Insurance
- Emergency funds
- Reimbursements
Final Thoughts
Workplace wellbeing isn’t simply about mental health anymore. An employee’s social, physical, and financial wellbeing matters, too, as they work for your brand or business. The company can start this by identifying how they can improve their wellbeing programs and by sparking conversations with employees. And in turn, employees can benefit from these programs by providing their input or knowing which programs or benefits can help them in the long run.
