Wellbeing in the Workplace Wellbeing is not a brand new concept but will take on critical urgency in 2019 due to a convergence of technological, economic and socio-cultural factors. Here, Joanne Fearon, a Business Hive Shield HR Advisor, explains what wellbeing is and offers advice on how to improve employees’ wellbeing in the workplace. What is Wellbeing? The term “wellbeing” covers several aspects of the way people feel about their lives, including their jobs, and their relationships with the people around them. With the dizzying pace of change and the mind-blowing exponential growth of data and technology available to us showing no signs of letting up, we are all facing new levels of overload. Companies are not only having to look at wellness programmes, they are now encouraged to provide better places of work with the employee in the forefront of any plans and ideas. In addition, the work of inclusion and belonging will take on even greater importance for business success. Impact The UK’s productivity still lags behind that of other countries, but employers are failing to see the link between employee wellbeing and productivity. According to the Government 1 in 4 employees will suffer from some form of mental health, with the Office of National Statistics stating Mental Health related conditions is the third most common reason for employee absence from the workplace. Minor ailments such as coughs and colds being first, with muscular problems coming a close second. How does employees’ wellbeing affect organisations? The answer is poor productivity, an increase in sick days, absenteeism, lack of commitment and staff retention, with employees leaving for more favourable companies. This leads to an overall potential loss in profitability. Improvements There is no ‘one size fits all’, but where employers are able to raise wellbeing in their workforce, they are also likely to see improvements in the performance of their workplace. Below are a number of factors which small to medium sized business can adopt. • Where employees have a degree of autonomy over how they do their job - this does not mean that people should ignore set processes but could mean that staff have a level of discretion about how they undertake their work. Good communication and consultation is an element of this, as is having a ‘voice’ at work. • Being clear about what is expected of staff, including feedback on performance, which could be addressed through a combination of effective induction, clear terms and
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conditions and a regular appraisal process • Opportunities for employees to use and develop their skills, which could be through training on and off the job. Fun Ideas • Encourage creativity within communal areas – find an empty office or unused area around your office and turn it into a place where people can meet and collaborate on projects. Install some comfy furniture so people can get away from their desks and let the creativity flow. • Healthy eating – an obvious one. If you have a company restaurant, make sure your service provider is on board. Not having chips on the menu every day is a great start! Benefits It’s common sense, a healthy workforce equals happy employees, which in turn benefits the employer. • Companies having a health and wellbeing programme/ policy will play a hugely beneficial role in promoting employee health, in return minimising avoidable ill health, absenteeism and facilitating faster recovery and return to work after injury or illness. • A reduction in staff turnover which on average costs a company £30,000 to replace an employee. • Employee engagement (commitment, loyalty, retention). The list is endless. How happy are your employees and is it time to change? Make 2019 the year that changes it all!!!! If you’d like to know more or need advice on Wellbeing Policies or relevant Training Courses, call 0345 076 6417 – the free Health & Safety and HR & Employment Law Service for Business Hive members (with employees). www.businesshive.net/business-hive-shield