Living through a pandemic this past year, and all the chaos it has brought, has taught us that supporting wellbeing in the workplace has never been higher on our list of priorities, and if it isn’t on yours, it should be. Government figures show that 14.3 million working days are lost in the UK each year due to stress, depression and anxiety. This means that it is incredibly important to support and improve wellbeing at work.
Wellbeing in the workplace covers both physical and mental wellbeing and effectively supporting both can result in a more productive and valuable workforce. On the whole, mental and physical wellbeing go hand in hand as high levels of stress can weaken immune function resulting in a number of health implications. By targeting both aspects of workplace wellbeing, your employees are likely to be happier and healthier.
The following tips are aimed at helping you improve wellbeing at work:
- Prioritise Mental Health: It can often feel overwhelming trying to juggle day to day life and keep on top of your mental health. Encourage your employees to take time each day to check in with themselves and understand what state their mental health is in.
- Communicate: Promote open and honest communication within the workplace. On days where an employee’s mental or physical wellbeing may be poor, encourage them to communicate this to you – a problem shared is a problem halved.
- Be proactive: Schedule regular check-ins with your employees. Taking the time to listen to their concerns both in and out of work will help you to understand what support they need from you.
- Recognition & praise: Embedding recognition and praise within your company’s culture can dramatically improve wellbeing in the workplace. A study showed that recognition at work not only helps employees feel more connected at work, but it can also improve happiness at home.
- Promote physical wellbeing: Organising fitness challenges can help to promote teambuilding as well as improving general health. Creating a step competition or monthly miles challenges can help to encourage healthy competition within the workplace and promote good relationships. Encouraging exercise can also help to improve employee productivity and manage workplace stress.
- Encourage good work/life balance: Implementing flexible working within your organisation can help to increase productivity, creativity and, most importantly, wellbeing. Enabling your employees to work flexibly can give them the freedom they need to deal with responsibilities outside of work. This means they are able to focus fully on the task at hand whilst they are at work without worrying about how they will manage the school run or find the time to go to the bank.
- Introduce Mental Health First Aiders: In the UK, 1 in 6 workers are experiencing symptoms of mental ill health at any given time. Mental Health First Aiders can help support employees suffering with mental ill health and reduce the risk of issues escalating and causing long-term absence.
We have teamed up with Stress Matters to offer accredited mental health first aider training. Book your place here: HR Revolution – Mental Health First Aider Course
If you need any further help or guidance on mental health or wellbeing in the workplace, please get in touch! Drop us an email at hello@hrrevolution.co.uk and download our wellbeing pack here.
