What exactly is employee wellbeing and why is it important?

In our experience, there is a lot more to work than just pay. Employees want to feel valued, supported and that their job is making an impact on the world. This is one of the reasons why a job in the third sector can offer such a rewarding career path.

Regardless of what the organisation that you work for does, how you are treated as an employee is of equal importance.

Granted, employees come to work to do just that. Work. But that doesn’t mean that they must be miserable whilst doing so. And this isn’t what an employer wants either. After all, it’s been shown time and time again that unhappy workers are also the least productive.

The phrase ‘employee wellbeing’ is bandied about as the miracle drug of a happy workforce, but what does it mean and why should it be prioritised?

Employee wellbeing is defined as the overall mental, physical, emotional, and economic health of your employees. It’s influenced by various factors such as the tools and resources they have access to, their relationships with co-workers, hours, salary, and workplace safety.

The Future Workplace 2021 HR Sentiment survey found that 68% of senior HR leaders listed employee wellbeing and mental health as a top priority; it’s a critical component of a healthy working environment and a successful organisation. Those organisations that are able to prioritise wellbeing make it easier for employees to manage stress levels while also maintaining a positive and productive environment.

Wellbeing initiatives can range from financial, emotional or physical resources from access to Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP), which often include counselling services, to facilitating regular meetings with a mental health professional. What your wellbeing programme looks like depends entirely on the needs of your workforce and must be reviewed regularly.

As an employer, you cannot control how your workforce feels, instead your role is to provide the tools and space to allow them to manage how they feel. If giving them the absolute best employee experience that you can seems overwhelming, it needn’t be; it just boils down to communication. You can’t expect to know how each member of your workforce is feeling or whether the initiatives that you have in place are working, without asking them. Open up lines of communication with your staff to find out, perhaps through regular face-to-face meetings or staff surveys.

Employee wellbeing is a huge topic and can be a daunting prospect to approach. A helpful technique when considering your strategy is to break down the subject into manageable chunks. Put yourself in your employees’ shoes and think about the situations they will be facing or thinking about day to day, how these may be impacting their wellbeing and how you are helping them to navigate these issues. A few examples of obstacles to employee wellbeing could be:

An employee’s ability to pursue career ambitions

Employees want to feel confident that they are moving closer to achieving their goals, whatever they may be. Those who perceive that they are stagnating will not only be unmotivated but also be on the lookout for a new opportunity elsewhere. Ensure that each team member is given a clearly defined progression plan and knows exactly what they need to do to reach that next level. Then use this framework to check in against regularly, acknowledge progress or provide support where needed.

Ability to share concerns and be supported

There’s no doubt that your workforce will encounter challenges throughout their career; it’s the nature of work. But it’s how they are able to cope with these challenges that makes the difference. Being able to approach a line manager or colleague for advice is crucial to feeling supported and this comes down to cultivating a culture where it is okay to raise any concerns. No one wants to feel like they are walking on eggshells and as an employer you can help to normalise issues by speaking openly about your own or making it a common discussion point during check-ins. Reinforce this by providing resources that can be accessed at any time and signpost to external sources too.

Ability to form relationships with colleagues and feel comfortable at work

We spend most of our lives at work, so it’s vital that it is a pleasant place to be and that you feel as comfortable around your team as you can professionally. As an employer, whilst you cannot control whether colleagues see eye to eye, you can put initiatives in place to help cultivate a positive workplace culture. Whether this is through organising team building activities, encouraging friendly competition with prizes, or instilling a strong sense of company values. When hiring into a close-knit team, it’s also important to consider personality affinity as well as technical compatibility so that you can anticipate any potential conflicts.

Ability to fit work around life

Post-pandemic employees are more eager than ever to achieve a healthy work-life balance and to fit work around their lives rather than vice versa. As result, demand for flexibility is at an all-time high, with many candidates no longer considering roles that do not offer a form of hybrid working. Getting this right will rely on an understanding of your workforce’s needs and wants and reviewing this regularly. Over time employees may be more eager to return to the office or need to shift working patterns due to childcare. Be open to this and make adaptations where possible.

No employee wellbeing initiative is perfect but don’t let this put you off trying. Your workforce will notice and appreciate that you are taking the time to listen to and react to their needs. And demonstrating that you value their opinion will be powerful grounds for them to stick around.

If you need help with your hiring strategy we are experts in navigating the jobs market and helping you to secure the best candidate around – get in touch with our team today: https://www.robertsonbell.co.uk/