The four pillars of workplace wellbeing: What does it mean for talent in a hybrid world?

The four pillars of workplace wellbeing: What does it mean for talent in a hybrid world?


 

Workplace wellbeing has accelerated to the top of the business agenda over the last two years. From something historically considered a focus only within the HR remit, workplace wellbeing is now a company-wide focus and priority for all business leaders. 

We are now in another transition period with the shift to hybrid working. But this time, there is a layer of post-pandemic fatigue to consider: burnout, stress and resistance to returning to the office.

There are four pillars of workplace wellbeing that make up the overall happiness of their employees. Each HR leader should focus on implementing all four across organisations to help attract and retain their talent.

  • Emotional wellbeing

According to studies, 60 percent of employees reported concerns of stress and burnout last year, shining a light on the post-pandemic psychological toll. Mental wellness goes beyond virtual yoga and the Headspace app. Instead it is a change inward: company culture, communication and leadership. 

Creating an inclusive work culture helps to support mental wellbeing for employees. The Financial Times and Wikimedia have been doing a lot of work in this space, focusing on building an inclusive workplace to support their employees – both new and existing. 

  • Financial wellbeing

A well-thought-out financial wellbeing programme can offer many benefits. It can be a major contributor to attracting and retaining talent, and also be a key driver of productivity. 

Studies suggest that 63 percent of employees say that their financial stress has increased since the pandemic. These same employees want support from their organisations. Without this support, 72 percent of people would apparently look for a role elsewhere.

  • Physical wellbeing

Physical wellbeing is intrinsically linked to other aspects of wellbeing, including mental, emotional and social. Improving it will help employees have a happier and healthier work-life balance, and be more productive, engaged and want to stay. 

  • Social wellbeing

HR leaders must also be aware of the potential gap between people ‘in the office’ and ‘out of the office’. Hybrid working risks creating a dominant class of those who feel engaged with the office and those who prefer to work remotely. To combat this, leaders must think strategically about how they aim to rebuild social capital in a fair way, including existing, new and onboarding employees.

 

It’s important that benefits that support workplace wellness aren’t just easy or temporary fixes. Instead, HR and business leaders should be looking at how to make the most impact. To do this, wellness programmes should be reflective of company values and employee voice, authentic and competitive if organisations are to continue to attract and retain talent.

 
 

References:

https://www.hrdconnect.com/2022/03/17/the-four-pillars-of-workplace-wellbeing-what-does-it-mean-for-talent-in-a-hybrid-world/