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With 67% of workers saying they’re more stressed out now than they were in 2019, job stress has been on the rise in recent years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that when asked about workplace employee well-being, 40% of workers said their employment was very stressful, and 25% said their job was the biggest stressor in their life.
Job stress is more predictive of health complaints than personal, financial, or family problems. These statistics are concerning because stress in the workplace affects employee well-being, which in turn increases healthcare costs, decreases productivity, and causes unwanted employee turnover. New management, open enrollment, system changes, or peak seasons are all examples of transitory situations that might lead to higher job stress. However, long-term financial and human resource issues might arise when workplace stress is an ongoing issue.
The importance of addressing mental health concerns was highlighted on October 10th, World Mental Health Day. To help promote employee well being in the workplace, here are some suggestions for companies.
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What is employee well-being?
Health insurance is a major concern for many companies when it comes to their workers’ happiness and health. However, a healthy workforce is defined by much more than the absence of disease. It alludes to the overall employee well-being of workers and centers on intangibles like their disposition and cognitive abilities.
Putting employees first isn’t always easy, but the worldwide epidemic has made it clear that it’s no longer an option but a duty. That’s why a lot of companies have begun to prioritize wellness initiatives for their employees. They may monitor employee happiness on the job and make adjustments as needed to make the workplace more welcoming.
Why is mental health & wellbeing important?
Negative effects on motivation, resilience, engagement, and burnout can result from untreated mental health concerns in the workplace. Workers who are dissatisfied and stressed out are more prone to miss work due to feelings of insecurity and burnout. Recognizing these risks, it’s essential to prioritize mental health support and understand the distinctions between counseling credentials like MSW vs. Masters in Counseling to provide effective assistance.
Employee well-being, organization-wide procedures, and regulatory compliance can all take a hit when mental illness and emotional discomfort are present. Also, think about the money: in 2020/21, poor mental health cost employers as much as £56 billion, up from £45 billion the previous year, according to Deloitte’s analysis.
Increased production, improved morale and engagement, and lower turnover rates are just a few of how businesses gain from investing in mental health. The University of Oxford found that contented employees produce 13% higher output (and that’s not even accounting for overtime).
This is supported by research conducted at LSE, which confirms a correlation between increased employee well-being and positive effects on business performance and retention rates.
However, there is much more at play than just the monetary and commercial details. Companies have a responsibility to their employees’ health and safety, and there’s a moral reason to believe that they should incorporate employee well-being promotion into their ESG policies under the health and safety section.
Employee well-being initiatives for healthier and happier staff
1. Establish a program for employee assistance
Workers who are struggling with issues related to their health or mental well-being, whether at home or on the job, can get confidential counseling services through an employee assistance program (EAP). Despite their versatility, they are seeing increased use as a tool to alleviate the symptoms of anxiety, stress, and depression among workers. Learn the ins and outs of employee assistance programs and how to start one.
2. Support staff as they strive for the future
Promoting mental health and job satisfaction among employees may be achieved, in part, by assisting them in advancing their careers and realizing their ambitions. If their employer put more effort into their careers, 94% of employees would remain for longer. Sadly, workers cite a lack of time as the primary excuse for not participating in learning opportunities. This is a perfect chance for managers to take charge and make it possible for employees to invest in their professional growth.
3. Set friendly fitness challenges
Everyone benefits from healthy competition! Creating team fitness challenges is a great way to foster camaraderie in the office while also encouraging employees to take better care of their bodies, whether it’s through friendly step contests, group yoga sessions, or fun activities like mini trampoline workouts. Give your staff something to strive for and see how they stack up against each other, whether it’s a distance challenge or a certain number of steps each month.
4. Implement strategies to promote employee wellness
Is there a way for employees to take charge of their own emotional, mental, and financial wellness as part of your employee incentives program? Among the many employee well-being perks that might boost workers’ morale are:
- Reduced rates for gym memberships
- Healthcare at a reduced cost
- Access to meditation applications at no cost
- Employee wellbeing program
- Sale prices on often purchased goods
- Plans for sacrificing wages
5. Set up frequent gatherings
Maintaining positive relationships with coworkers is crucial to one’s health. Compared to women who do not report having a “best friend” on the job, those who do report being twice as invested in their work. There is evidence that men and women both benefit from having friends on the job in terms of increased productivity, fewer instances of workplace accidents, and happier, more loyal consumers.
Leaders in the corporate world would do well to encourage staff to get to know one another through frequent social gatherings so that morale and productivity may soar. Just think about it: employees will have a better time at work and be more inclined to ask for help when they need it if they feel comfortable talking to their coworkers.
6. Introduce designated wellbeing leaders
When no one is holding themselves accountable for health, initiatives may get off to a good start before fading from view. The success of wellness programs may be tracked and maintained by appointing a leader in the field. In addition to increasing uptake by getting people motivated and enthusiastic, they may also talk to their coworkers directly to learn what’s working and what isn’t in the employee wellbeing program.
7. Promote actual vacations
People working at desks, eating lunch with one hand and typing with the other, is a familiar sight. The typical Australian worker puts in six hours of unpaid overtime each week, or around two months of the year, making them easy targets.
To promote employee well being in the workplace, it is important to remind workers to take breaks during the day and to have lunch away from their desks. They’ll be more productive upon their return since they’ll be physically and psychologically recharged.
8. Make the office a pleasant place to work
Taking care of your workers’ physical and emotional health starts with making their workplace attractive and comfortable. Our surroundings have a significant impact on our overall employee well-being. Some approaches to enhance the working conditions include the installation of sit-stand workstations, the provision of healthy food and drink alternatives, the use of ergonomic chairs, and the creation of wellness or social areas.
9. Acknowledge and reward exceptional efforts
Confidence and a sense of worth are essential components of mental health, and both may be enhanced when workers are acknowledged and compensated for their efforts. There are several methods to show your appreciation for your team and make them happy, such as a simple “thank you” or a prize for finishing a project.
10. Motivate employees to prioritize their health and wellness.
Motivating employees to put their health and happiness first requires fostering an environment that openly discusses these topics and backs them up when they take personal development initiatives. To that end, promoting a good work-life balance is essential. You may assist bring some equilibrium to your staff by limiting overtime, disabling alerts during weekends and evenings, and promoting holidays. It is best to set a good example, though. Workers are less likely to feel obligated to remain beyond 5 if they see that their supervisor is leaving at the same time.
11. Give thought to providing unlimited vacation days
Despite your fears, “unlimited holidays” have been more successful than you may expect. Businesses that made it available saw an uptick in vacation days, but they also saw gains in productivity and revenue. Better health and economic results seem to result from trusting and enabling workers to take the vacation they need.
12. Foster closer ties between managers and their staff
Managers are unable to assist their staff unless they are aware of the challenges they are encountering. Plus, they won’t have any idea until they invest in developing a solid rapport with their employees. Managers and workers should make one-on-one meetings a regular part of the workday to promote open communication, address concerns quickly, and solve problems as they arise.
13. Set up seminars on health and wellness
Workshops on stress management, yoga, meditation, mindfulness, or any number of other practices may help employees cope with stress while also exposing them to new things they might like.
14. Facilitate your employees’ ability to make nutritious choices
The workplace munchies are a favorite of many, but they may not be the healthiest option. Your employees will be more motivated to prioritize their physical well-being and experience fewer slumps after consuming sugar if you provide them with nutritious snacks.
15. Make adjustments to the work schedule so that it suits your personnel
Workers’ schedules, preferences, and methods of operation will vary. Allowing employees more leeway to choose their work schedules helps them avoid burnout and stress while also improving their work-life balance. Additionally, it promotes employee well-being by demonstrating faith in them.
16. Take a look at your teams’ statistics to see what’s paying off.
Discovering if employee well-being programs are truly effective is crucial, as they are intended for your team. All of your efforts, resources, and time will be in vain if you don’t. You can make better judgments and zero in on what matters most for your staff if you regularly poll them to find out how they’re doing and what kinds of programs they would like to see. If you would want continuous feedback rather than just one-time data collection, like an annual survey, we suggest partnering with a pulse survey provider.
Summary: mental health in the workplace
When employees are mentally well at work, it benefits the company and its employees alike. There is always room for improvement, whether you’re currently researching your best alternatives or have already begun taking actions to promote employee well-being. While you may need to give some of our suggestions some thought before putting them into action, others are ready to go right now.
Things will take time to change. Productivity, engagement, morale, and communication will all leap ahead when you show your employees that you care about their well-being in a consistent, reliable, and transparent way.
