According to the World Health Organisation, 25% of us will suffer from mental illness at some point in our lives. The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work stated that about 60% of working days lost yearly are related to stress. This should be enough for employers to understand the huge impact well-being has on the workplace and thus on their business productivity.
Well-being is not just about personal health and wellness. Managers, employers, business leaders must reframe their mindset and their company culture to think about better ways to improve ’employee engagement’.
76% of millennials believe business can have a positive
1. Encouraging Creativity
Try to dedicate a specific space in the office with tables and seating where employees can gather, communicate gently and share ideas. The interior design of this dedicated room/space should foster creativity. This will improve concentration, collaboration, and even confidentiality.
It is said that spaces with natural features boost collaboration and well-being by 15%. You could then add potted plants, flower gardens whenever possible, anything greenery really. Outdoor spaces are great added-values and must be rethought to make them convivial for the staff. Asking employees how they project themselves in this space, what creativity means for them, how they would design it in their mind could be helpful. They will also feel validated.
2. Offering one day offsite work a week
This option could be interesting for several reasons. Commuting can be quite a hassle for many employees and depending on the private responsibilities they have, fitting everything into a busy schedule a mental and physical load. This will help them know that one day per week, they will be able to work efficiently and schedule out their day according to their needs. A more relaxed framework that boosts their confidence and autonomy leads to greater performance.
For employers, this strategy is cost-effective. Remote workers usually cost less. If you do not need to rent an office space, hiring teleworkers will represent a real estate saving which can be huge!
If you do need to rent an office space, this option is still cost-effective. Teleworkers are healthier. Numerous studies have shown that remote workers report lower stress levels, feel more validated, and this flexibility boosts their engagement. This leads to a significant decrease in sick leaves.
3. Offering Development Courses related to your field
Employees feel more engaged and part of the company culture when they are offered specific courses in line with their needs and the development of their department. So many times, my teams asked me to be offered stimulating courses, workshops, which I did. Again it boosts their confidence, their engagement and their skills!
It is thus a win-win option. Your company will have more talented employees specialized in the services/products your company offers and it fosters corporate culture.
4. Encouraging Rest Breaks
This option doesn’t mean employees have to take breaks or that they are allowed to
It is sensible to encourage rest breaks for it is well-known no one can give 100% all the time. It would be lying to say otherwise. We all wish we could but we can’t. Therefore, if employees do not take enough breaks and get more flexibility at work, they will soon resent their tasks due to fatigue and anxiety which in turn may lead to burnouts and sick leaves.
5. Promoting a culture of open dialogue
Employers can help boost employees’ confidence and their engagement by being available for work-related issues and conversations. Empower them during these conversations by using a management style that encourages them to be autonomous and supported in their efforts and achievements.
Listen to them, their feedback, to be able to adopt a language and a management style that suit their needs. Don’t hesitate to ask for feedback as well, what they need to achieve their goals.
Make them comfortable to talk about work-related as well as home issues if they wish. Any serious homes issues may have an impact on their work and on the
In the end, the goal is to increase productivity and integrity by boosting the well-being of your staff, their engagement. The success of your company relies on them. Besides, having a high turnover rate has horrendous consequences on the image of the company, its productivity, and its reliability. Employers should do their best to encourage well-being in the workplace in order to reduce employee turnover rate as much as possible!