The importance of health and wellbeing in the workplace
An estimated 30.7 million working days were lost due to work-related ill health and non-fatal workplace injuries in 2017/18. Source (HSE) Stress, depression, musculoskeletal disorders and workplace injuries accounted for the majority of days lost.
Employers cannot afford to ignore the wellbeing of staff. Businesses don’t have to make big changes to promote physical wellbeing at work and encourage colleagues to make positive changes. Creating a more positive culture in the work environment can have multiple benefits…
What are the benefits of businesses supporting the wellbeing of staff?
- Better morale
- Less errors and accidents
- Reduce levels of sickness
- Increased energy levels and levels of concentration
- Increased productivity
- Fewer employee absences
- Staff loyalty
Providing staff with information about the importance of physical wellbeing on site and how to maintain a good level of health enables them to make informed decisions. For instance, did you know that employees turning up at work ill actually costs British Industry about £15 billion per year?
Simple factors like “presenteeism” are precursors to mental and physical ill health which has a massive cost at a personal level, not forgetting the monetary and productivity costs to businesses.
Why should the health & wellbeing of staff be central to any business strategy?
There are many reasons why, the most important reason is that healthy staff achieve better results, work safer and adapt better to change.
Developing a culture in which staff feel appreciated, understood and adequately trained; encourages wellbeing and understanding of the basic principles. Which in turn presents its own rewards: –
- Lower staff turnover
- High levels of engagement
- Better acceptance of change
- A desire to learn new skills
- A real loyalty and commitment among the people who make up the business
What steps can businesses take?
There is a direct correlation between staff performance and management. By giving staff at every level the understanding and tools to “thrive” will help to generate a healthy working environment. We take a look at some of the main steps to help your business achieve a better culture in the workplace: –
1, Environment
One way of promoting wellbeing is to have workspaces that employees can engage with and feel comfortable in. Conversely, a poorly designed workspace can actually have a negative affect on an employees creativity, performance, engagement and innovation.
2, Positive Values
Employees want to work for companies that value teamwork, diversity, ethics and responsibility. Have strategies to avoid any unprofessional behaviour in your workplace.
3, Self-awareness
Ensure staff know their limits and do the best they can to stay within those limits given.
4, Feedback
Encourage communication in the workplace. Run employee surveys or one to one meetings to get valuable feedback on staff morale and what changes they would like to see.
5, Learning & Development
Encouraging staff development is proven to have a positive affect our mental wellbeing. Research shows that staff who are given the opportunity to progress in their careers with additional training and refresher courses are more likely to stay with a company, and have an improved attitude towards work.
42% of employees say learning and development is the most important benefit when deciding where to work (Udemy)
See How using training & development can motivate staff.
The health and wellbeing of your employees matters…
Implementing employee health and wellbeing schemes improves general employee engagement. Remember to monitor any program you put into place and don’t forget to constantly ask your team for feedback.
