As an employer, it is your responsibility to draft an employee wellbeing strategy to boost employee engagement, retention and productivity. If you think sorting the financials, like paying salaries, is all about employee wellbeing. Your business is about to suffer.
While employers conflate Wellbeing with Wellness. This article will explore what employee wellbeing is and Tips to improve employee wellbeing. This article was used as a reference https://www.unitedfinances.com/blog/how-to-maintain-high-employee-engagement/.
Wellbeing Vs. Wellness
According to the oxford dictionary, Wellness is the state of being healthy, while wellbeing is general health and happiness. It aggregates emotional, physical, and psychological wellbeing to determine if you are healthy.
What is Employee Wellbeing
The first step to fostering employee wellbeing is understanding what it is and what it is not. Wellbeing is not only about health-related issues or the absence of illness or injury.
Employee wellbeing transcends health and happiness. It encompasses everything your employee does and everything important in their lives: their careers, communities and social connections; their physical, mental and emotional health; their standard of living and financial stability.
Elements of Employee Wellbeing
This element is essential for any person to thrive around the world.
- Social wellbeing: refers to your employee interaction and relationship with others and whether it leads to a meaningful connection.
- Physical wellbeing: refers to the physical health condition of whether your employee has the energy and endurance to be productive.
- Career wellbeing: refers to how your employee spend their days and if they enjoy what they do with their time
- Financial wellbeing: refers to your employees’ standard of living and economic stability if they have the funds to provide for their families.
- Community wellbeing: refers to if your employee is satisfied, connected and engaged with the work environment and other areas where they live.
Why is Employee Wellbeing Important?
Employee wellbeing is a win-win situation for the employee and the organization because the employee is the heart of the business. Here are some of the reasons why employee wellbeing is important:
- Research shows it is a deciding factor if employees take up a job or stay longer in the job.
- Employee wellbeing enhances company efficiency and productivity
- It improves employee engagement
- A heightened feeling of empowerment
- Avoidance of burnout
How Can You Improve Employee Wellbeing?
Strategic Recognition
The most effective and affordable way to improve employee wellbeing is simply by recognizing your employees for who they are and what they do. It will show a perception that they are cared for, valued and respected.
Strategic Investment
Most employees tend to invest more in physical wellbeing, rather than that allocate resources to recognition. Invest in elements that bring compelling ROI and promote retention, engagement, performance, and culture.
Upskill Managers to Lead with Empathy
Leaders should educate their managers so they can differentiate between Wellness and wellbeing. Also, managers can be supportive, lead with empathy and try to understand what’s going on in an employee’s work life.
Lead by Example
The efforts start with dedicated leaders or managers. They should participate in volunteer events, mentoring, giving shoutouts for shared milestones and saying thank you. It shows involvement.
Send an Anonymous Survey
You could create a box where employees can drop their ideas and feedback about the business. Let them speak about how they feel.
Wellbeing is a barometer for a life well lived- and it’s the foundation for employees leading fulfilling lives at work and outside of it. As an organization, you should see employee wellbeing as more than a “nice to have” because it directly impacts employee engagement and business growth. Strong employee wellbeing equals a stronger, more efficient organization.