How to be a champion for employee wellbeing
Thinking about wellbeing isn’t something reserved just for Blue Monday. Employee wellbeing is important, and your team appreciates you not only stating that, but making sure you walk the walk when it comes to policy and practice. If you feel like you could be doing more to help employees to manage their wellness, there are things that you can do to support your staff further.
Actions speak louder than words
When it comes to wellbeing, there can be a lot of virtue signalling that ultimately isn’t acted on. Claiming to have a positive work culture and support employee health and wellbeing is all well and good, but actioning these words and prioritising your staff is a big part of it.
By implementing comprehensive wellbeing policies, keeping staff up to date with relevant training surrounding mental health, and ensuring that their wellbeing is taken seriously, you can ensure that employees feel cared for and able to care for themselves properly. Offering up mental health days or simply not being too stringent on sickness days can allow your team to rest up and feel better.
Removing the stigma
Mental health can be a difficult topic to broach for a lot of people, owing to years of social shame and stigma. While things are much better than they used to be, we still have a long way to go. The shifting in attitudes over time has helped to address how we can improve mental health and wellbeing.
By opening the conversation, creating a non-judgemental atmosphere, and showing that feelings are valid, the stigma behind mental health issues can be minimised. While you may not personally be the go to person for employees to discuss issues, creating wellbeing contacts within the workplace gives your people someone to go to. Whether that’s someone who regularly checks in on the team or your employees know they can go to them if they need to discuss more personal issues; ensuring that this person is adequately trained is important.
Promote regular breaks
Sometimes people need to be told to take a break. Maybe they’re just hard-workers that get too fixated on tasks or perhaps they are worried about getting into trouble for not working hard enough. Well, as breaks can boost mood and reduce stress (in addition to improving productivity), taking them over the course of the workday is hugely beneficial.
If the job entails sitting at a desk all day, promoting screen breaks and movement can give employees a fresh focus upon return. If work is more physically demanding, allowing rest breaks will help your team to recuperate their energy. It may not be practical to have constant long breaks, but a few ten minute breaks throughout the day is an idea.
Bring on the benefits
There are offerings that you can provide to your employees to enable them to prioritise wellness. For example, having an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) gives employees resources and services to help with any personal problems they may encounter. From legal aid and financial advice to counselling services, having an EAP available to your team gives them a place to go when they need help.
Another way to help employees on their wellbeing journey is by offering discounts for any products or services that could help them. From savings on mindfulness services to gym discounts, you can help employees to feel their best by making health and wellness easier and more affordable.
Check please!
Checking in on your staff is a good way to see how they are doing. Regular one-to-ones are a great way to ensure that your team is happy with the workload, the culture, the working processes and any other day-to-day operations. Getting swept away with work and forgetting to check in can happen, and that’s why scheduling in regular catch-ups gives you a chance to survey staff satisfaction and hear individual experiences.
Listen up!
One of the most effective ways to understand what employees need is to listen. Asking for feedback will give you answers, and by creating anonymous questionnaires and surveys you can receive honest responses about the wellbeing of your employees.
Include questions about what they like and what they’d like to see more of, and something might pop up that you didn’t even think about. The best way to know about your employees’ wellbeing is to hear straight from the horse’s mouth!
Interested in wellbeing benefits for employees? Request a free demo today.
