Proven Steps to Improve Employee Wellbeing at Work
With the rise of wellness programs in the workplace, it's no surprise that workplace wellbeing has become a hot topic. The focus on employee health is important to both employers and employees because it directly impacts productivity, morale, and the personal lives of each and every person. Supporting your employees should be a crucial part of your management practices. The level at which your team’s wellbeing is cared for will directly impact the culture within your company.
Employers are more likely to retain employees who are productive and engaged, so it’s in your best interest to invest in your team’s wellbeing. It’s also crucial to remember that your employees are people, and they deserve to work in an environment that allows them to grow; that nurtures them.
When you think about employee wellbeing, the first thing that comes to mind is probably mental and physical health. However, there’s much more to it than that. In fact, there are many other aspects that make up employee wellbeing in the workplace.
Psychological wellbeing
Work-life balance
Emotional intelligence (EQ) skills development
Social support networks
Workplace culture also plays a crucial role in employee wellbeing. The culture of your workplace will have a direct influence on how people feel about their jobs. If they enjoy the company they keep, they will tend to be more satisfied with their work life as well as life outside of work.
Workplace structure plays an important role in determining whether or not employees feel supported by management and coworkers alike. When this is done correctly it allows for better communication between all parties involved which leads to greater productivity and less stress among staff members themselves.
Ways to Improve Employee Wellbeing at Work
Listen to concerns and requests
Listening is one of the most important skills a leader has in order to be effective. If you aren't listening, you can't communicate effectively with your team members and understand their needs. When you're not listening, employees can feel that they are talking at you rather than with you, which makes it difficult for them to feel heard or understood. Asking employees what they need from work will enable them to feel more engaged and valued by their company, which can help to improve their mental health!
Don't be afraid to ask
Don't be afraid to ask. You may feel awkward, but we've found that asking a simple question like "how are you?" can start a meaningful conversation. This will let your employee know you're there for them and can help calm any anxiety they may have about work-related issues.
Caileen Lubbe, Research Psychologist at Plumm says:
'In addition to a general check-in with your employee (i.e., "How are you doing?"), you can also ask some more specific questions to show a deeper awareness and genuine concern, by asking them questions like "is there anything I can assist you with", or "do you feel like you have been receiving the necessary support here at work", or "have you found the workload to be reasonable and manageable?" It's crucial to establish whether there are any 'blockers' that are preventing an employee from performing optimally, so that these can be addressed proactively and be eradicated. Employers should also remember that each employee is a unique human being with their own unique set of needs, and therefore ensure that their work environment is set up in such a way that they are able to maximise both their productivity and their job satisfaction. When job satisfaction is low, productivity is likely to be low as well – and vice versa.'
Things you can encourage your team to do to keep on top of their mental health
“The most important thing, in my opinion, is making sure your leaders/management team are educated on the subject. If they are given the tools to support their employees, this will make identifying and recognising mental health struggles in the workplace easier, whilst allowing you to put a structured plan in place for ongoing support.” - Aiden Smith, Recruitment Consultant at Roma Black
Watch Aiden’s personal experience with mental health here
Educate yourself on how to create an environment that promotes wellbeing in the workplace (this article is a great start!) Here are some reminders you can make to your team for small changes to improve personal wellbeing:
Make sure you have a good work-life balance.
Take breaks throughout the day to get up and move around, even if it's just for 5 minutes at a time.
Get enough sleep – this can help with your mental well-being as well as physical health, but not getting enough sleep may lead to feelings of depression and anxiety.
Eat well - making healthy choices when eating can help contribute to good mental health as it gives us energy and vitamins needed to keep our bodies functioning correctly.
Exercise regularly - this can be hard to fit into your daily routine but is so important for both physical and mental health!
Set boundaries and know your limits so you can avoid burnout - Take breaks - Breaks are important because they give workers a chance to recharge their batteries and refocus on the task at hand. They should be used even if you don't feel like it, as taking breaks will make you more productive overall. If possible, try scheduling these breaks in advance so that they're less disruptive than last-minute ones (e.g., after lunch)
Reduce stress with breathing exercises
Try and stay active whilst at work, fitting short walks into your day in the office (or at home) can help immeasurably.
Being aware of your own mental health and working on it is a vital part of healthy living.
Being aware of your own mental health and working on it is the first step towards improving workplace wellbeing across organizations, large or small. Reflect on your own wellbeing and consider what's going well and what could be improved. If you notice that your workload has seen a heavy increase in the last few months that may have caused stress, it's possible that this could have a domino effect and be impacting your team too. Consider how situations like this can have an effect on the wellbeing of your team.
Once this is established, it’s time for another step: using that knowledge as a guide for improving workplace wellbeing!
There are things you can do to support your employees with better mental health.
As a manager, you have the opportunity to help your employees with their mental health. Don't assume that because someone isn't talking about their mental health, they don't need your support—they may just be looking for the right time and place (or email chain).
A good place to start is by advocating for better mental health practices in your workplace. Let people know that you care about their wellbeing and want them to feel comfortable coming forward with any issues they're having. Be open with yourself if there's something going on personally that's affecting how you act at work; if so, be honest with others too so they can step up when needed or let go of some responsibilities until things improve again.
The Perks of Healthcare Tech
The final point we’ll make on helping with the mental health and wellbeing of your team at work is implementing healthcare tech. Using technology that helps with workplace mental health can transform the way that you can assist your employees with their day-to-day wellbeing and their overall levels of happiness. Plumm is one of the companies in the mental health tech space leading the way in technology through their amazing resources that seamlessly integrate into your team’s everyday apps at work - making things easier than ever for them to keep on top of their mental health. Here are just a few of the things that they offer:
MS Teams & Slack integration - there is a Plumm app for both Teams and Slack, meaning that users have direct integration into the apps that they use every day, making it easier than ever to check in on themselves and monitor their mental health.
Online therapy. See an accredited therapist as early as the next day. Their therapy access is genuinely second-to-none, allowing users to reach out and speak with licensed professionals about any and everything so that problems can be worked through as early as possible.
Chat therapy. Instant access to therapists via chat any time, anywhere.
Insights into the usage of the resources that Plumm offers. Essentially, you as a manager, are able to see exactly what people are using the most and how often they are doing so - meaning that you are able to get an extremely accurate look into what extra help people need if you need to put extra measures in place, and if you can support even further than you already are.
These are just a few of the things that a company like Plumm can offer, and there are many, many more. We would recommend getting started as soon as possible.
Back in June, Tim and Aiden from the Tech team got in front of the camera to share their stories and experiences with mental health, watch that here