Employee Well-Being Insights
Employee well-being goes far beyond physical health. It’s about nurturing the vibrancy and growth of individuals within your organization and supporting them in all seven areas of well-being; mental, physical, social, financial, spiritual, environmental, and occupational. While workplace well-being was gaining organizational traction even before the COVID-19 pandemic, it is now a top priority for both employers and employees. Listed below are some recent insights on employee well-being:
- 80% of nearly 9,000 survey respondents identified employee well-being as important or very important to their organization’s success.
- 77% of employers listed improving employee engagement as the driving force behind their well-being programs in 2021 vs 59% in 2019.
- More than 6 in 10 employees say well-being support programs/benefits will be a top priority for them when applying for their next job.
- Despite 68% of employees preferring to engage in well-being-related activities at work, many report not having the time to do so.
- Financial well-being is the #1 concern for employees, closely followed by emotional and mental well-being.
- Employees are 69% less likely to search for a job when they feel their organization cares about their well-being.
- Currently, less than half of employees feel their company prioritizes their well-being.
The Benefits of Emphasizing Well-Being
There are numerous benefits emphasizing employee well-being. Outlined below are a few key benefits:
- Improved employee health behaviors
- Improved ability to attract and retain top talent
- Improved employee engagement and productivity
- Improved teamwork and morale
- Reduced healthcare costs
In addition, through our own case studies, Health Designs has seen incredible workplace transformations when leadership commits to employee well-being. One of our client’s experienced a 7% improvement in employee blood pressure, 12% improvement in physical activity, and 13% improvement in emotional health while another client saw a 62% increase in wellness program participation. This proves that with an integrated, accessible well-being approach, both the organization and their employees will experience benefits.
How to Infuse Well-Being into the Workplace
The benefits of focusing on employee well-being are clear. However, the insights we mentioned at the beginning of this article show that organizations have room for improvement. We believe the answer is infusing well-being into every aspect of the workplace. This way, employees are not forced to choose between work and their health, but instead, they go hand-in-hand. Below are some ways to achieve this:
At the organizational level:
- Form teams based on worker preferences, working styles and personal needs
- Clarify job descriptions and remove any barriers preventing employees from completing their tasks
- Embed well-being criteria in work scheduling, performance management processes, leadership evaluations and rewards and recognition programs
- Design work environments to support workers’ physical, mental and emotional health needs
- Communicate about wellness offerings and benefits often and through multiple channels
At the team level:
- Model well-being behaviors such as taking breaks, taking the stairs, participating in wellness challenges, bringing healthy lunches, etc.
- Incorporate well-being into daily meetings either through walking meetings or by starting each meeting with a moment of mindfulness
- Encourage all team members to adopt well-being practices best suited to their needs and set well-being goals
- Leverage physical workspaces that promote team collaboration and performance
- Utilize new technologies, to train team members to navigate stressful situations or even help them manage their stress levels
Keep in mind that every organization and their employees are different! Do some brainstorming and consider handing out pulse surveys to determine the most effective ways you can infuse well-being in your workplace!
