The 6 areas of Employee Wellbeing

Individual wellbeing is something that should be priority for everyone, and it can be maintained in many ways. Hobbies, exercise, and healthy eating can all contribute towards a positive state for the individual, but employers are starting to see the importance of maintaining this wellbeing state within the workplace too. Most weekdays are spent in a work environment of some sort, be it in an office or working from home, and therefore employee wellbeing should be considered as a key priority to employers with a clear focus on ‘creating a healthy workplace, where your workforce has all the knowledge to make healthy choices, and your business can thrive.’ (Joyful Living)

What are the areas of Employee Wellbeing

There are a number of areas that are included into workplace wellbeing. Culture Shift, for example, suggest there are ‘six pillars of workplace wellbeing’, which are listed as –

1. Job security
2. Financial security
3. Health
4. Support
5. Protection
6. Work – life balance

(https://www.culture-shift.co.uk/resources/workplace/pillars-of-workplace-wellbeing)

Along with the New Economics Foundation report, which focuses on a similar strategy titled the Five Ways to Wellbeing, which ‘identifies five key actions around the themes of social relationships, physical activity, awareness, learning, and giving.’

(https://neweconomics.org/2008/10/five-ways-to-wellbeing)

Both approaches are clearly advocating a strong focus on the employee and their needs, and whilst there might be a financial output for the employer in the short run, the long-term implications and effects could prove hugely beneficial.

How can the various areas of employee wellbeing be incorporated into the workplace?

There are now lots of help and guidance available for employers to begin or maintain an environment where positive wellbeing can thrive. The mental health charity, Mind, has created a Workplace Wellbeing Index, which helps assess the company and provides feedback on their wellbeing status, and could be seen as a ‘benchmark of best practice and policy’ from which the company can aspire to reach or remain at.

(https://www.mind.org.uk/workplace/workplace-wellbeing-index/)

In addition to this, there are external companies, such as Joyful Living, who can be hired to ‘help businesses thrive by improving team dynamics, happiness, motivation and engagement in the workplace’ via workshops, wellbeing sessions and solutions, thus taking away the pressure of having to host them internally, but also highlighting to the employee that their wellbeing is worth investing in. A company that is seen to promote, supply and operate an ongoing wellbeing programme suggests that their ethos is not purely about productivity, but that it takes the welfare of their staff seriously.

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What services or initiatives would complement a healthy employee wellbeing program?

As mentioned above, companies such as Joyful Living are already prepared with ‘a vast range of employee wellbeing solutions to look after your team’s mental and physical wellbeing and promote engagement.’ There is a plethora of ways to promote employee wellbeing, which can be tailored to suit the individual company by being in person, online, or even off-site. Initiatives such as wellbeing programmes, mindfulness workshops, desk yoga, massage are just a few of the many options available. The maintenance of employee wellbeing should be at the heart of every company; because it’s the employees that really count for a business to succeed.

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References

1. https://joyful-living.co/our-services/wellbeing-workshops/
2. https://www.culture-shift.co.uk/resources/workplace/pillars-of-workplace-wellbeing/
3. https://neweconomics.org/2008/10/five-ways-to-wellbeing
4. https://www.mind.org.uk/workplace/mental-health-at-work/five-ways-to-wellbeing/
5. https://joyful-living.co/our-services/wellbeing-programmes-and-initiatives/