How to create a wellness-friendly workplace that supports everyone
During last month’s ‘World Wellbeing Week,’ it might have been a pertinent time for employers to focus on wellbeing and that’s great, but it isn’t good for it to last for 1 week out of 52. What it could also be, is the ideal time to assess what’s working, what isn’t, and what possibilities could be out there to enhance the entire workplace experience. A happy and healthy workforce will bring more productivity, engagement, and loyalty. However, it’s important employer’s realise a ‘1 size fits all’ approach to wellbeing just won’t cut it. Organisations have a duty of care to take a far more personalised approach to their employees’ wellbeing.
Physical health, mental health, financial health, and work-life balance can affect an employee’s wellbeing. Because of this, employers now are embracing a flexible approach more and more, with offerings of wellness schemes and resources that address the individual needs of their employees. For example, some employees may need help with managing stress levels, others may need support with caring responsibilities or with chronic health conditions. By recognising this and offering personalised wellbeing resources, employers can help their employees reach their full potential.
Other types of ‘employees’ can have different needs and challenges when it comes to wellbeing. Many companies also employ non-payroll individuals, while remote workers have now become the norm. Non-payroll employees (contractors/freelancers) may not be given access to the same resources as payroll employees, while remote workers may be finding it a struggle to maintain a healthy work-life balance in their home set up.
With the rise in popularity and need for Blended Teams, where there is a contributing mix of payroll and non-payroll employees, the question is - should employers show the same duty of care to all as individuals, regardless of who they produce a payslip for each month?
Some really useful and convenient ways employers can support non-payroll and remote workers are to:
Offer truly flexible work arrangements
Provide easy access to online wellness resources
Offer remote wellness coaching
Most importantly of all, employers have the ability to create their own positive culture of communication and support, so that non-payroll and remote workers feel comfortable reaching out for help if and when they need it.
Yes, it’s true, none of these are quick tasks or fixes. The cost of offering a variety of wellness schemes and resources, the time and effort it takes to collect data on employee needs and preferences (especially when some employees might be reluctant to participate in wellness schemes, even if they are offered), understandably have a significant impact on what an employer can offer its workforce.
The first step is to understand the specific needs of your employees. Once you know what your employees need, you can start to develop personalised wellness schemes and resources appropriate to your own employees. This can be done through surveys or focus groups, for example.
Make sure that your wellness initiatives are aligned with your company's overall goals. This shows a tangible link and will help employees see the value in participating in wellness initiatives and in turn, they are more likely to stick with their wellness goals.
Ensure your Leadership Team is bought-in early, engaging in and advocating key initiatives with a willingness to allocate resources to support wellness schemes for their teams.
Ensure wellbeing resources are accessible to everyone who needs them. Whether this is online for remote workers, on audio/video for neurodivergent employees or on accessible work platforms, visible to ALL payroll and non-payroll employees.
Employees should feel empowered to take control of their own wellbeing. Communicate effectively with your employees. Let them know what resources are available and encourage them to participate but then it is important for them to feel trusted to make decisions for themselves.
Employer and employee needs can change over time, so while your Blended Team flexes, it is important to be agile in your approach to personalise wellbeing resources. Existing wellness resources may need to be updated on a regular basis or new and different offerings put in place. It is also important that the resources are culturally sensitive and inclusive.
Use the data available to you. Track the results of your wellness schemes or initiatives so that you can see what’s working and what isn’t. This will shape a wider program over time, to ensure what you have available is meeting the needs of your employees.
Through investing time and resources into understanding individual employee needs, employers can create a workplace that provides support and promotes health (physical, mental and financial) for everyone. This can lead to improved productivity, engagement, and a more positive company culture. As a result, organisations can expect to see fewer sickness days, a reduction in overall employee turnover and a positive reputation as a place where people want to work and thrive.
