7 of the Most Effective Ways to Promote Employee Well-Being

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The well-being of employees should be the number one focus for organisations, not the level of productivity or the amount of money they make. Employees are now actively seeking roles that offer more than just a competitive salary, but are looking for organisations that actively strive to support their employees. When employees feel valued, they will be happier within the workplace, and that’s a fact.

Organisations who are now prioritising well-being are seeing results such as more involved employees, higher productivity, boosted profits, and overall a more successful organisation with happier and healthier employees.

In this article, we will explore seven ways your organisation can help improve the well-being of its employees.

1. Encourage Actual Breaks

There’s nothing more disheartening than having a manager who either times their employee's breaks or encourages workers to not take them. Sadly, It’s not an uncommon sight to see an employee sitting at their desk when they're meant to be enjoying their break. Breaks are an important part of the working day, with employees needing the time to relax and recharge, so they can be more productive and effective in their roles.

Regular breaks are essential for employee well-being, and employees should be encouraged to take their actual Lunch break. However, they should also be able to take a short walk or have a snack break if required outside their set break time. If you want a flourishing and satisfied workforce, encourage your employees to step away from their desks every once in a while.

2. Recognise and Reward

Employees aren’t just a number, they are real people who need to feel valued and be recognised for the hard work they do. Acknowledging and rewarding the hard work of your employees makes them not only feel respected but provides them with the encouragement and motivation to thrive at their job.

Recognition is an extremely effective method to improve the well-being of your employees, with studies stating that employees when recognised are 3x more likely to be engaged in the workplace and 5x more likely to feel connected to the workplace culture. This study also shows that employees are more productive as they are 73% less likely to feel burned out at work.

The impact of a workplace culture that recognises the work of its employees, can’t be underestimated. A simple ‘thank you' can go a long way!

3. Offer Health and Wellness Benefits

We think that employers should create a space for employees to focus on wellness and development, or offer benefits to let employees take charge of their health. Discounted gym memberships, free wellness apps and access to healthy food at work are just some examples of how you can offer health and wellness benefits within your organisation.

Although this may seem like an expensive method to incorporate into your strategy, the value it brings outweighs any costs involved. Improving wellness and access to resources will keep retention down and improve the motivation of your workers. It’s essential to support and promote employees' mental, physical and financial health within the workforce.

4. Implement a Mentoring Program

Aside from the professional development opportunities that mentoring offers, did you know that mentoring and employee well-being go hand in hand?

As mentioned, we recommend having health and well-being benefits in place to support employees, but for further support, we also suggest implementing a mentoring program within your organisation. When it comes to mentoring the benefits aren't just for professional development and career progression, but actually, work well at combating issues damaging to well-being within an organisation.

There are many ways in which mentoring can be used to improve both mental health and well-being within the workplace, such as improving the self-confidence of your employees, making them feel optimistic for the future and reducing stress levels.

Mentoring programs are great for improving employee engagement as they can help your employees stay motivated and keep moving forward, something that can often be a challenging task for someone struggling with their mental health. Mentoring encourages employees within your organisation to share knowledge and wisdom, whilst also ensuring that your employees feel they are appreciated and invested in by the organisation. The implementation of a mentoring program creates a workplace that respects learning and is a safe and trusting environment where people can share their concerns without fear of being judged.

5. Conduct Regular Surveys

If you want to improve well-being, ask your employees themselves. The input from your employees should be used if you wish to have a clearer understanding of the issues and challenges they are facing in the workforce.

Offering surveys is a great way to help your organisation identify where improvements need to be made and how you can implement them effectively. There are many types of surveys you can offer to your employees, including mental well-being questionnaires and general well-being check-ins.

6. Create Mental Health Awareness

According to Mind, 1 in 4 people each year will experience mental health problems in England. When we look at such shocking statistics, it’s a sign that organisations need to step in and help their employees.

People who suffer from mental health issues are often afraid to speak up about the challenges they face due to social stamina and fear of it impacting their careers. Mental health issues are not only impactful on the mind of an individual but also their body, creating new obstacles for their professional and personal lives. Many employees go years without being treated due to a lack of understanding and access to support.

To bring awareness to mental health, we recommend that organisations offer training to those who want to learn more about it and possibly bring in a counsellor for those who are looking to get help.

Creating a workplace culture that is aware of mental health issues will make employees more willing to be open about the challenges they face and how these issues can be addressed to ensure they get the support they need.

7. Make Working Flexible

Everybody is different, with all employees having different working styles and preferences to help them keep engaged and motivated within the workplace. With research outlining that more than a third of workers see an improvement in their mental health due to the ability to work flexibly, it’s surprising that many organisations don’t offer this as a standard if their employees can do so. A recent study also showcases the need for more organisations to offer flexible working options, with 82% of people wanting the opportunity to work flexibly in the future.

When employees are given control over where they work and how they do it, it makes them feel trusted and improves their well-being. This, in turn, means they can keep a good work-life balance, which is important for mental health. Offering flexibility reduces employee burnout and allows an employee to create a schedule that enables them to produce the best work they can.

Final Thoughts

In summary, when employees feel more appreciated, trusted and empowered, they work harder because they have an organisation that cares about them. The importance of workplace well-being isn’t something organisations should be taking lightly. When it comes to improving and supporting the well-being of employees, it’s essential to remember that it’s not just a one-time thing, but something that should be continued if you want to ensure a healthy workforce. Employers that look after their employees will reap the rewards in the long run.