How Managers Can Implement Workplace Well-being
Workplace wellbeing has become something of a trending topic in the business world over the last few years. As companies struggle to earn the engagement of their workers, they’re beginning to notice that employees perform better, stick around for longer, and accomplish more if they’re happy and healthy.
While a manager might not be able to solve all the problems an employee faces that might be having an impact on their wellbeing, that doesn’t mean that they can’t put strategies in place to improve their chances of satisfied, and happy staff. By committing to a workplace well-being program, leaders can encourage everyone in their team to look after themselves, fuel their own wellness, and subsequently support the outcomes of the business.
The 7 E’s of A Wellbeing Strategy:
As most managers will quickly discover, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to designing the perfect workplace wellbeing strategy. While a financial company might need to help their employees deal with the stress of deadlines, a manufacturing company might focus more attention on physical health, and safety on the production floor. Despite the unique differences that each business needs to consider in their workplace wellbeing strategy, there are often 7 E’s to take into consideration:
- Engagement: Management needs to create a working environment that feels like a safe and motivational place for employees to be.
- Exemplify: Workplace wellbeing programs work best when they’re demonstrated and implemented from the top down. Managers need to be an example for their employees.
- Empower: Management styles should allow people in the workforce to take responsibility for their own experiences. Teams need to be empowered to work in a way that brings out their best self.
- Encourage: Today’s employees thrive on praise for a job well done. It’s important for managers to offer regular feedback that encourages individuals to reach their goals.
- Embed: Implementing a workplace wellbeing strategy needs to be an ongoing part of company culture. Managers need to look for a way to embed their strategies into everything they do.
- Evaluate: Managers need to have a strategy in place to measure the performance of their wellbeing program
- Empathy: Managers need to be able to empathize with a range of different circumstances in the business environment.
Supporting Wellbeing in the Modern Workplace:
Today’s employees are living in a different world to the one that most of us are used to. In a world where there’s more freedom than ever before for professionals, top-tier talent is looking for a career that offers more than just a paycheck. Today’s employees want to know that they can achieve a healthy and empowering work/life balance.
The more managers get to know their workforce, the easier it will be for them to implement workplace wellbeing strategies that work for everyone. These wellbeing solutions will not only help today’s leaders to access the engagement of their top-tier employees, but they may also help to reduce the risk of burnout among today’s professionals.
Additionally, an effective workplace well-being program can also be the key to reducing employee turnover.
