Promoting health and wellbeing in the workplace benefits both your employees and your business. By looking after your employees’ health and wellbeing, you not only show that you care, but you also increase their resilience, performance and productivity, and they are less likely to require sick days. It helps you to get the best out of your staff, but also benefits you financially. According to Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health, if British business managed employee mental health more efficiently, they could save up to £8 billion a year. With that in mind, read on to gain 5 suggestions on how to promote health and wellbeing in the workplace.
1. Encourage a good work-life balance
A good work-life balance is so important for health and wellbeing. There are many ways in which you can encourage your staff to have a good work-life balance. These include: telling them to go home when their work hours are over; advising them not to work weekends; encouraging them to take their full lunch break and their full annual leave; and last of all, offering flexible working. By offering flexible working hours and the ability to work from their desired location, individuals can balance their work with commitments such as looking after their children and pets. This would also allow them flexible time to exercise.
2. Run or organise events
Another great way to promote health and wellbeing in the workplace is to offer staff regular social or wellbeing events. You could run a regular meditation or yoga class, for example. Meditation or yoga can help employees to reduce their stress and anxiety levels and allow them to go back to work calmer and more relaxed.
Social events will allow your team to get to know one another and build friendships. They can also improve employee engagement. Social events could vary from drinks after work to an activity such as sailing or kayaking. You could also get staff involved in charity events like Tough Mudder or a charity run for a local cause.
3. Provide an employee assistance programme
Mental health is one of the main causes of employee sickness today. Your business can help by offering an employee assistance programme. Employee assistance programmes provide counselling on the phone and allow employees to talk about anything affecting their mental health, whether it is work issues or personal issues arising at home, confidentially. To have this service would greatly improve your staff’s health and wellbeing.
4. Encourage personal development and growth
By offering personal development and growth opportunities to employees within your business, you will create more job satisfaction. Find out what your employees’ goals are and help them to create a plan to get there. Maybe a staff member wants to progress into a managerial role and would benefit from manager training. You could also offer one-to-one mentoring and coaching. As a result, your employees will feel valued and appreciated.
5. Encourage open communication
Make staff aware that they can openly talk about problems that they may be having. Employees are often scared to discuss what they are going through – whether it is a health condition or issues in the workplace. Make it clear to all your employees that, in your business, you provide a supportive environment where they can approach you when they may be struggling. This will make them feel more at ease and will build stronger relationships between you and your employees.
Promoting health and wellbeing in the workplace will create not only a better work environment but is also more likely to encourage your staff to stay with you longer. By emphasising the importance of the subject, you are showing that you truly care and will benefit everyone all round.
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