Knowing about the concept of wellness in the workplace and understanding why it is important are two very different matters. We’ve grown used to the conversations about mental and physical health at work but the application of this knowledge hasn’t been as fast packed. It is true that various companies have explored different workplace wellness ideas to determine how they can support a health plan within their organization. Some of these have resulted from a genuine desire to understand and cater to employees while others have risen from a need to meet a quota. Some workplace wellness best practices have become commonplace, while others have been pointedly ignored despite their usefulness.
Companies that don’t see why workplace wellness is important, need to understand that happy employees are productive employees, and if you want them to care about their work, then you might have to show that you care about them too. Prioritizing wellness in the workplace is not a trend that will die out anytime soon and businesses need to make an honest effort to get it right.
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Breaking Down the Details of Wellness in the Workplace
Workplace wellness takes on many shapes and forms, but at the heart of the matter is an active interest in the health of every employee who is associated with the organization. From simple matters such as allowing a worker to sign out on time every day to the more complex battles with mental health that some employees need support with, an organization has an active role to play in the lives of its employees. What is workplace wellness? It is the well-being of an employee within the workplace and in relation to it.
The kind of stress the organization causes an individual can leave a lasting impact on them, and it becomes a part of the company’s responsibilities to employ effective workplace wellness ideas that ensure employees leave the office the same way they came in—if not better than ever before.
Why Is Workplace Wellness Important?
The overall well-being of an employee is their own responsibility to a large degree and most employees do what they can to take care of themselves. Unfortunately, with the majority of their time and energy being taken up by workplace responsibilities, there is little room for them to actively care for themselves. We may have gotten a little better with allowing employees to work from home or take the day off after the COVID-19 pandemic, but employees still have to drag themselves to work on most days regardless of their condition. With no time to rest and recover, a small illness often turns into a prolonged health condition, affecting their health and their ability to work.
According to WellSteps, the cost of “presenteeism,” or poor productivity despite being at work, costs 2-3 times more than what one might spend on direct health care expenses. The report also discussed the problem of absenteeism, the tendency of workers to take time off from work, indicating that a good wellness program could decrease absenteeism significantly. A report by the Indiana State Department of Health shows that a company could save $5.82 USD as a result of lower employee absenteeism for every $1 USD they spend on wellness programs. Not only are the employees happy, but the company also makes the most use of its buck. This means employees are given the room to recuperate when it is needed and come back fully productive rather than working at half their potential for extended periods.
With every passing generation, employees are becoming more particular about the kind of benefits an organization can offer them, and companies that ask themselves and their employees “Why is workplace wellness important?” are able to implement the benefits of putting the employee first. The benefits of wellness in the workplace include:
- Improved employee retention as workers remain loyal to an organization that cares about them
- Employees are more likely to recommend the company as a place to work
- Workers are less stressed about their jobs so they can work better
- Better work environment where everyone is at the top of their game
- Higher job satisfaction and employee morale lead to better-quality work
- Employees see the organization and its CEO as empathetic, genuine, and reliable—and have more respect for them
- Employees work more willingly and creatively rather than doing the bare minimum
- Employees also try to find a way to get the work done rather than giving in to absenteeism and letting things stall without them
- Better talent volunteers to work at an organization with high values and fringe benefits for its employees
- Employees can disconnect from work when they are away from it and come back with a fresh perspective rather than being saturated by it 24/7
Ideas for Wellness Activities for Employees
Now that we understand what workplace wellness is and why it is important, you might want to look into a few workplace wellness ideas to see what might work best for your organization. Depending on your budget, the industry you work in, and the kind of stressors your employees regularly face, you could try a few different variations before you determine how to pursue wellness in the workplace.
Change Employee Wellbeing Policies
The first step in ensuring wellness in the workplace is employing work policies that do not intrude on your employee’s personal lives. The most basic wellness tips for employees focus on the work culture and the kind of interactions employees can expect within your organization.
- Just like companies discourage personal conversations during work hours, they need to ensure that there is a policy of work-centric communication during work hours only and not outside it
- Review employee workloads regularly and ensure they are within the employee’s capacity
- Conduct regular audits on the kind of communication taking place at work and assess employee attitudes and behaviors with each other
- Enforce anti-discriminatory practices to ensure everyone feels welcome at work
- Create a team dedicated to assessing wellness in the workplace and making the necessary changes more regularly
- Encourage communication in the workspace—create opportunities for employees to interact with each other and socialize so they don’t work in isolation
- Encourage employees to involve themselves in employee assistance programs
- Look into mentorship programs that can help employees build their support system
- Create a space where employees can speak up about their struggles and concerns with the hope for resolution
Safety and Hygiene Within the Workplace
If you’re looking for wellness tips for employees, then consider their wellness from a safety perspective as well. Working with dangerous machinery or hazardous material can put employees’ lives at risk and organizations need to ensure all equipment is safe to use. Stressed employees are more likely to slip up and make a mistake so robust security measures can help them focus on their jobs better.
- Check equipment regularly and replace parts in a timely manner when necessary
- Don’t ignore warning signs or delay addressing sensitive matters when they come up
- Ensure there are sufficient backups, safety equipment, and emergency measures in place that match the nature of the work being done
- Follow all OSHA regulations to ensure the best working conditions for your employees
- Dispose of any hazardous material carefully as part of your efforts to oversee wellness in the workplace
- Ensure a clean and hygienic working environment for your employees, especially when it comes to nursing spaces or eating areas at work
- Allow employees to follow reasonable work schedules and give them time off when needed so they don’t compromise the health of others
- Ensure your workspace is disability-friendly and provides ease of access to everyone
Provide Access To Healthcare Solutions
Wellness in the workplace may be directly linked to the work itself but the employee could have underlying health conditions that might flare up due to the strains of their work. To create a business that values its employees, consider how you might be able to give workers access to healthcare providers and insurance solutions that can help employees come to work feeling their best.
- Some companies may benefit from in-house healthcare professionals who can be available on an immediate basis
- Work with a few doctors and psychologists to create a chain of contacts that the employees can reach out to
- Allow employees to plan their work around major and minor procedures and surgeries to help reduce the burden on them
- Work with insurance providers to gather resources that employees can access to plan for themselves and their families in the long term
- Telecommunication services may be a useful way to gain access to healthcare in a pinch so consider facilitating the conversation
- Provide access to a gym or other physical training facility within the organization or at another existing center nearby
- If a cafeteria is available at work, try to provide healthy food options to help and encourage employees to improve their eating habits
Workplace Wellness Best Practices Are Reflected in Wellness Programs
Apart from providing the basic considerations expected from any organization in 2024, there are many workplace wellness best practices to ensure that employees receive the additional well-being support that could help distinguish a good day from a bad one.
- Provide opportunities for employees to try out relaxation-based activities like yoga classes and spa days that can help them feel rejuvenated
- Look into volunteering initiatives that your employees might be interested in exploring
- Take employees out on retreats and other events where they can unwind and keep the training programs to a minimum to avoid turning it back into a stressful experience
- Conduct regular workshops on topics that might help employees—healthy eating, confident communication, conflict resolution, financial literacy, self-care, etc.
- Provide mental health training on identifying the signs of distress and how to regulate them
- Encourage employees to use their paid time off and take breaks when necessary
Monitoring and managing wellness in the workplace can seem like a lot of work but setting it up is the hardest part of getting it right. Talk to your employees and consult with experts to explore how to improve your organization overall. A mental health expert might be more capable of asking your employees the right questions about their well-being, and this information could be an insightful reserve of workplace wellness ideas. Don’t be afraid to have honest conversations to get at the root of the wellness needs of your organization.