Want to truly engage and support your team? Focus on their total wellbeing. When employees feel great in key areas of life, they’ll bring their best selves to work each day. Healthy employees are happier, perform better, and are less affected by absenteeism and presenteeism.
Here are the six key areas of employee wellbeing, and examples of innovative programs in each to support your holistic strategy.
During the past year, professionals have endured a considerable amount of change and more than half say their workload and burnout levels have increased. In a recent survey, 96% of professionals reported feeling more motivated and less stressed after working out. An additional 89% shared they are more productive during the workday after exercising.
From the experts:
Fitness benefits are one affordable resource you can offer your team to manage this stress. Giving your team access to bootcamps and midday yoga sessions through a benefit such as ClassPass can help professionals to prioritize their physical health and more importantly log out of email and take breaks that will prevent burnout. - Nicole Wolfe, Head of Corporate Programs at ClassPass
Often overlooked, career opportunity is a key component of your employee’s overall wellbeing. Create a company culture that rewards and recognizes exceptional work. Explore education platforms to deliver ongoing training and development. Ensure employees have ample opportunity to use their strengths at work, along with a clear understanding of how their job ties to the company and goals.
Nearly 78 percent of Americans live paycheck-to-paycheck. Every employee needs a trusted financial plan, no matter their income or asset level. Offer a financial wellbeing program that blends digital tools and education with on-demand Certified Financial Planner™ professionals. Modern solutions allow employers to provide a financial wellbeing benefit that is accessible, equitable, and cost-effective.
From the experts:
More employers are realizing that financial wellbeing is directly connected to all the other areas of holistic wellbeing. Employees can't bring their best selves to work if they lose sleep worrying about debt, don’t have enough savings to handle an unexpected car repair, or put off medical appointments because of the cost. Offer a financial wellbeing benefit to improve overall wellbeing and send a message that you care about your employees’ financial health. - Debbie Kenny, Director of Customer Success at LearnLux
Exploring financial wellbeing for your workforce?
Employee social engagement is essential to a happy workplace. By enabling employees to engage with your company and each other at a social level, they can form connections beyond work relationships. This contributes to a deepened sense of belonging. Consider team socials, meeting ice-breakers, and establishing employee resource groups (ERGs) around key topics. Examples include areas of interest, diversity dimensions, and shared experiences.
According to data from the American Psychiatric Association, employees with anxiety and depression experience a 35% reduction in productivity. This contributes to a loss to the U.S. economy of $210 billion a year in absenteeism, reduced productivity, and medical costs. Leading employers are now offering personalized mental health benefits to provide support to their hard-working team.
From the experts:
Employee mental health is as important as physical health. The global mental health epidemic has only accelerated over the past 18 months, and the impacts on workplaces range from absenteeism to low morale, all the way to increased health spend and employee turnover. Employee mental health should be a top priority for progressive employers who seek to empower their workforces and support overall wellbeing. - April Koh, CEO & Co-founder at Spring Health
Three out of five employees believe that community engagement and volunteer work is essential to their overall wellbeing. Offer a corporate volunteerism program that aligns with your broader corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives for maximum impact. Participation in volunteer programs can positively impact how your workforce views the company and creates meaningful connections to your greater community.
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Bravo on making wellbeing a priority at your workplace! These suggestions serve as a start to inspire your holistic strategy.
For help implementing any of these ideas or to discuss your company’s wellbeing approach, feel free to reach out. At LearnLux, we’re here to help.