Steps to Improve Wellbeing in the Workplace
We all have different goals, ambitions, and passions throughout life. Beneath these differences, all human beings undoubtedly seek a singular purpose: happiness. It then becomes a matter of concern whether we are happy at the workplace, a space where we spend most of our time.
With the onset of COVID-19, there has been a revolution in workplace wellbeing. Employers are looking to support employees through issues like burnout, stress, anxiety, and depression. Yet employee mental well-being remains a concern in the workplace.
These are the findings of a 2021 survey by American-British consultancy WTW that asked 300+ U.S. employers with 100 or more employees about their expectations for 2022:
- 86 percent of employers said mental health, stress, and burnout were still a priority
- 49 percent, however, had not formally articulated a workplace strategy for wellbeing
As an organization, you might be struggling to properly define your mental wellbeing program, or you may not be seeing results with the plan you already have in place. Perhaps you are unsure whether your efforts to improve workplace wellbeing benefit your staff?
In this article, we provide insights to help you make mental wellbeing a sustainable culture in your organization, along with tips to improve and measure the workplace wellbeing strategies you already have in place.
Short summary (TL;DR)
Employee wellbeing is essential for a healthy and productive workplace. Improving wellbeing requires understanding employees’ individual needs, encouraging open communication, and creating a supportive workplace culture.
In this article, you will learn:
- What wellbeing in the workplace means and why it matters
- How trust, communication, and psychological safety improve employee wellbeing
- How organisations can measure and improve workplace wellbeing
In short, supportive leadership, open communication, and regular wellbeing measurements can help organisations create a healthier workplace.
What is wellbeing in the workplace?
For psychologist Peter Richter, the definition of good wellbeing in the workplace is succeeding at one’s job with a sense of positive fulfillment.
“This means that employees should feel their work makes a positive difference to their company and they take pride in the work they do,” says Richter. “All without a sense of worry or guilt.”
This is only possible when employees feel the demands on them are balanced. This means the work is neither too simplistic nor continuously overwhelming, but just enough to keep employees engaged and challenged.
What is the key to wellbeing in the workplace?
Human beings are uniquely different in their needs and desires. The key to wellbeing is often employers’ mindfulness of these differences.
Let us talk about some wellbeing examples:
Since the pandemic, hybrid work has remained preferable for many professionals. It offers flexibility in work schedules, reduces commuting time, and allows more quality time with one’s family and friends. Yet a 2022 report by the World Economic Forum reveals that, for women, hybrid work causes more stress, as they feel “shut out” of important meetings and decisions within their organizations.
Similarly, depending on your employees’ personality types, they may prefer a structured workday with tasks clearly laid out. While others may thrive in an environment where they have the freedom to work at their own pace.
“You need to treat people equally but also differently,” says Richter. The meaning of wellbeing differs for each individual.
Other keystones of workplace well-being include appreciation, constructive feedback, collaboration, and communication between employers and employees to fulfill their respective roles.
“Trust is also an important element for wellbeing,” says Richter. “It entails colleagues not only trusting each other to perform tasks given to them but also trusting each other to show up in hard times.”
How can you improve wellbeing in the workplace?
In the Deloitte Global 2021 Millennial and Gen Z survey, respondents said that they experienced increased stress and anxiety at work but remained hesitant to vocalize these challenges – around 6 in 10 did not inform their manager how they were feeling.
“I think the biggest gap in workplace wellbeing is open and honest dialogue between colleagues,” says Richter. “Where everyone speaks their mind without fear, knowing that management will help you with whatever it is that you [employees] are struggling with. There needs to be this sense of psychological safety.”
As an organization, you might invest in the health and wellbeing of your staff through mindfulness apps, mental health days, and surveys. Yet result-oriented and sustainable wellbeing can only occur when there is real cultural change. This means initiating conversations that challenge the stigma around mental health.
This needs to begin with managers and leaders taking the onus of shifting prejudiced belief systems around mental health in their organizations.
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Why is wellbeing at work important?
“From a human perspective, wellbeing is important because we only have one life,” says Richter. “So, it should be a good one.”
The EU is also taking steps towards shifting to a ‘wellbeing economy’ – where public interests determine economics and not the other way around. Rather than pursuing economic growth through narrowly defined indicators such as GDP, a wellbeing economy monitors and values what truly matters: our health, nature, education, and communities.
According to the WHO, the estimated cost of depression and anxiety to the global economy is USD 1 trillion annually in lost productivity.
When stressed, your employees will take longer to complete tasks, slack off at work, and be more likely to make mistakes and produce low-quality work. Moreover, increased sick leave and new talent recruitment are additional costs for companies where health and mental well-being are not prioritized.
Happy employees who feel supported by their management are far more focused at work and willing to work harder for their organizations.
How do you measure wellbeing in the workplace?
“If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.”
This famous business maxim applies to workplace wellbeing as much as it does to your company’s sales and other growth goals.
For Richter, the top two tangible indicators of workplace wellbeing are reduced sick leave and high retention in management positions.
If your organization does not see a positive outcome in these metrics, your employees may be unable to communicate their mental health concerns to you.
A 2021 survey by Joblist found that the average time remote employees went without speaking to their managers was 6.1 days and to co-workers 5.4 days – which is considered quite lengthy.
The survey also pointed out that remote employees who felt unseen were more likely to experience feelings of burnout, imposter syndrome — which translates to feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt — and loneliness.
Though we understand it can be challenging to single-handedly manage the health and well-being logistics for your entire workforce, at HR-ON we want to support your organization’s well-being in the workplace in the long run. Through a suite of mental wellbeing benefits, our AI algorithms initiate digital screenings that identify employees in need of help and provide invaluable support, helping improve your employees’ happiness. Learn more about HR-ON Thrive, our employee wellbeing tool.
Article written by Payal Mohta, Journalist
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What should you know about wellbeing in the workplace?
What is wellbeing in the workplace?
Wellbeing in the workplace means that employees feel fulfilled, supported, and engaged in their work. It involves having a healthy balance between job demands and individual needs, allowing employees to feel challenged without becoming overwhelmed.
Why is employee wellbeing important?
Employee wellbeing is important for both individual health and organisational performance. Poor wellbeing can lead to increased stress, absenteeism, reduced productivity, and employee turnover. A healthy work environment can help employees feel more motivated, focused, and satisfied with their work.
How can organisations improve wellbeing in the workplace?
Organisations can improve workplace wellbeing by encouraging open communication, building trust, and creating psychological safety. Supportive leadership, recognition, constructive feedback, and an understanding of employees’ individual needs are essential for creating a positive workplace culture.
How can organisations measure employee wellbeing?
Organisations can measure employee wellbeing through regular surveys, employee feedback, and workplace indicators such as absenteeism and employee retention. By monitoring these factors and encouraging honest conversations, employers can identify wellbeing challenges and evaluate the effectiveness of their initiatives.
