With the pandemic ongoing and a vaccination programme now being rolled-out most of us will be thinking about the future of our businesses, although we are still in the grip of Covid-19, it does feel like there is light at the end of the tunnel.
But the question is, what will be the legacy of this year of social and physical lockdown and the fear, uncertainty and anxiety that we have all experienced?
Employee wellbeing will I am sure, figure highly in what we do next. As part of our recent Engagement Survey programmes with a number of our clients across every sector, we have noticed an increase in concern amongst employees about their well-being. On average of all employees surveyed one third believe that recent events have adversely affected their well-being.
This is a staggering number. As Employers what can we do to support our teams as we move forward?
Employee well-being comprises different component parts including physical, mental, social, financial, emotional, occupational and environmental well-being. You need to know about it to tackle it, a confidential employee engagement survey asking the right questions will uncover the size and breadth of the problem.
Then there will be choices about what you do next. The good news is, there are actions that you can take quickly to tackle this, here are some ideas that help promote a culture of wellness in the workplace;
- Educate your teams on well-being, and how they can both get help and help those around them.
- Encourage an employee sports programme (think football, hockey, cycling, running, keep-fit!).
- Encourage your employees to participate in no-fuss team wellness activities like taking turns providing healthy snacks for the office, Friday group meditations or competing to see who can log the most steps on their fitness tracker each week.
- To improve financial well-being educate staff on financial matters, helping them to understand budgeting, childcare and debt.
- Employee recognition. Encouraging leadership, managers and co-workers to recognise the efforts of their colleagues can have a big impact on motivation, helping individuals to feel valued and, ultimately, satisfied in their roles.
- Ensure that everyone knows what part they play in the success of the company, how do they fit in and what difference do they make.
What you decide to offer is dependent on the size of your organization, the nature of the work you do and the budget you have available.
But don’t be discouraged if you start small; a few basic wellness perks can lead to real positive changes.