There are a number of reasons to promote health and wellbeing at work, which is why it’s something that a growing number of businesses and employers are doing. In this blog, we have taken a look at how to promote health and wellbeing in the workplace, and why wellbeing is important in the workplace.
Why is it Important to Promote Health and Wellbeing at Work?
Firstly, promoting health and wellbeing at work can lead to happier employees. It’s a lot easier to feel positive about the work day when you know that your health and wellbeing is being taken care of. Plus, healthy employees are more likely to perform well in their roles. By prioritising health and wellbeing, you can help create an environment where employees can work to their best abilities. When employees are physically and mentally well, they are more motivated, focused and productive in the workplace. This can lead to improved overall performance and higher quality of work, which benefits the business as a whole. Additionally, healthier employees are less likely to take time off work which also boosts productivity and benefits the business.
A business that values health and wellbeing becomes an attractive place, both for potential employees and clients who are considering your services. Employers that prioritise their employees’ health and wellbeing build a positive employer brand image and reputation. This can help attract top talent and lead to increased employee retention. When businesses invest in their employees’ health and wellbeing, it demonstrates a genuine concern for their health and welfare. This fosters a positive work culture and promotes employee engagement. Engaged employees are more likely to be committed, loyal and passionate about their work, leading to higher job satisfaction and lower turnover rates.
What Does Health and Wellbeing Mean?
Health and wellbeing is a term that covers a lot of bases, and it can mean different things to different businesses. To put it simply, health and wellbeing refers to ensuring that staff are mentally and physically in a good place. It covers mental health, physical health and emotional health. Promoting health and wellbeing in the workplace means making sure that employees have everything they need to feel mentally, physically and emotionally taken care of.
Create a Wellbeing Programme
If you want to truly promote health and wellbeing in the workplace, you need to create a wellbeing programme. This is a crucial part of establishing long term and impressive wellbeing results for your employees. A wellbeing program encourages employees to prioritise their health and adopt healthy behaviours, giving them the best chance of health and wellbeing success. It could offer resources, tools and education on nutrition, exercise, emotional support and stress management. By promoting healthy habits, such as regular exercise and balanced diets, wellbeing programs can contribute to improved physical health, reduced risk of chronic diseases and increased employee wellbeing overall.
A wellbeing program can help reduce employees taking time off and reduce sick days. By addressing the root causes of health issues and providing support, employees are more likely to seek timely medical care and practise healthy habits, reducing the likelihood of extended sick leave. Additionally, by supporting mental health and stress management, wellbeing programs can reduce the chances of an employee going to work despite being unwell or not fully productive.
Emotional Wellbeing
There is a lot that goes into establishing emotional wellbeing in the workplace, but that doesn’t mean that it’s something that should be overlooked. Fostering emotional wellbeing is vital for creating a supportive and positive workplace culture. Helping employees work towards career development and personal development is a huge part of emotional wellbeing, as this provides the support and guidance needed to achieve bigger and better things professionally. Inclusivity is also a key part of emotional wellbeing, as employees who feel included and welcomed into the team are more likely to feel happy during their time at work.
Stress is something that a lot of employees deal with and, as an employer, it’s important to help individuals to manage this. Wellness days give employees the chance to relax, unwind and recharge, allowing them to go back into the office with a new lease of life. Counselling options can also make a big difference, especially for anyone who is struggling in their private life. It’s a lot easier for someone to be productive and successful in the workplace when they feel taken care of emotionally out of the workplace.
Physical Wellbeing
A lot of people underestimate the importance of physical wellbeing, and the impact it can have on employee wellbeing in the workplace. As an employer, it’s important to encourage exercise, as this can have a huge impact on how happy, motivated and energised employees are during their time at work. Things such as organising walking meetings, swapping standard desks for standing desks and promoting physical outside work activities can all make a big difference. For example, you could organise group walks or runs, or host yoga sessions for willing employees.
It’s also important to ensure employees are able to access healthy food, as this will help them to work towards boosting their wellbeing physically. Some businesses offer a free lunch one day a week and, if you do, consider making this a healthy option. You could also have access to fruit available at all times, which is ideal when employees are on the hunt for a snack to beat the afternoon slump.
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There are a number of reasons to promote health and wellbeing at work, which is why it’s something that a growing number of businesses and employers are doing. In this blog, we have taken a look at how to promote health and wellbeing in the workplace, and why wellbeing is important in the workplace.
