Employee wellbeing: Caring for your people
The employee wellbeing definition refers to the state of employees’ mental and physical health, resulting from dynamics within – and sometimes outside – the workplace. These include their relationships with colleagues, use of tools and resources, larger business decisions that impact them and their work, and many other factors. In business terms, securing employee wellbeing can translate to:
More productivity: Employee wellbeing boosts productivity and performance. When feeling well, employees display healthier behaviors and better decision-making.
Higher employee morale: Employees feel more competent and valued when their needs are met at all levels, including physical, mental, and financial.
Better talent: When your company has a good reputation in the market as an employer who respects and supports work-life balance, you’re more likely to attract skilled candidates and retain your existing employees for longer periods.
Improved CRM: Happy employees are your best brand ambassadors. If you treat them well, that positive energy will pass on to your customers. Those employees will be motivated to understand how your products and services will best serve customer needs.
Obstacles to sustaining wellbeing at work
The most common stressors that can negatively impact wellbeing at work are:
Leadership style
You probably have heard that employees quit bosses, not jobs. According to the CIPD survey mentioned earlier, a poor management style can increase employee stress massively. Take micromanagement as an example: having to explain every single nut and bolt of your daily task deliveries to your manager is inefficient and exhausting. It can also make the employee feel incompetent and unreliable.
Workload
Employees with heavy workloads due to understaffing or urgent business needs get often stressed about meeting deadlines. With less time to work on valuable projects, they often compensate for quality, and they worry that their results are inadequate. Helplessness, doubt and fatigue are the top feelings in such conditions.
Reduced social support
In order to thrive, employees need to be in a supportive environment that puts a positive value on effective collaboration and individual contributions. When competition is high and your performance is always compared to your peers’, lack in self esteem and toxic relationships arise, and can be difficult to resolve quickly.
Task clarity
Guidance in the form of training or mentoring, whether it’s practical (e.g. how to use a specific tool) or goal-oriented (e.g. what the end goal of a project is) is vital for employees to get the job done. Without clarity in work, employees feel confused and struggle in determining priorities or setting smart goals.
Motivation
We sometimes overlook that work should be a positive experience; employees are not merely reinforced by their monthly paycheck to keep up the good work. The more they enjoy what they do and take pride in it, the better results they’ll deliver. So, if most of their daily tasks are dull, employees might feel less motivated to go the extra mile.
To support wellbeing at work, build and maintain a workplace culture that makes employees feel safe, a company that feels like a second home. When it’s well thought-out and effectively implemented, you’ll see lower incidences of employee burnout and higher rates of engagement.
References:
https://resources.workable.com/stories-and-insights/employee-wellbeing-caring-for-your-people