Businesses should support their employees’ wellbeing simply because it’s the right thing to do, but there are also plenty of benefits to doing so. Studies have shown that businesses that invest in their team’s wellbeing enjoy increased productivity, lower staff turnover, and better employee morale.
There is no shortage of ways to enhance staff wellbeing, including making office improvements, providing time off from work, and managing workloads. In this post, we’ll run through a bunch of tried and tested, effective strategies that should, when all put together, make a significant difference.
Hire The Right Number of Staff
There are plenty of wellness-boosting strategies that businesses can utilize to enhance their team’s morale, but ultimately, if your employees simply feel overworked then those strategies will only be akin to pouring water on an ever-growing fire.
Hiring the right number of staff is essential for managing workloads correctly, especially since employees who have too much on their plate are at increased risk of suffering from burnout. While there may be periods when teams have to dig deep to get work done, by and large, they shouldn’t have a continual feeling of being snowed under. If everyone’s beginning to look a little tired, then bring in some extra hands, even if only on a temporary basis.
Allow Flexible Working (If Possible)
Studies have been pretty conclusive about the benefits of flexible working arrangements, in which employees have the option of working from home or the office. Even if you need your team to be mostly on-site, it may still be possible to offer team members the chance to work from home one or two days a week.
If, due to the nature of the work, that’s not possible, then look at offering flexible start times. Allowing employees to choose when they arrive at work is a subtle change that can have a big impact. This approach doesn’t just increase the workers’ sense of autonomy but also allows them to avoid rush hour, a daily experience that can increase the risk of depression.
Offer Plenty of Time Off
Your employees may like their jobs, but as much as we’d like to think otherwise, they don’t want to spend all of their time in the office! Offering a generous amount of paid time off is essential for giving team members the space they need to rest and recuperate.
There are business advantages to providing plenty of PTO, too. Employees are more likely to be productive if they’ve had sufficient time to relax, and it can also reduce absenteeism. Employees are happier both before and after their time off, too, which can make a difference in workplace morale. And don’t forget that PTO is highly valued by jobseekers, making it easier to attract quality candidates.
Salary Increases
There’s a high chance that your staff have money worries, or at least some of them do, anyway. In one study, it was found that nearly 60% of workers cited financial worries as the leading cause of stress in their lives.
And that figure is only likely to increase due to the rising cost of living.
While employees appreciate perks and benefits, they’d rather be paid well. Take a look at your salary structures, and make sure that you’re increasing salaries in line with — or above — inflation. Offering a pay rise is a highly effective way to see a boost in engagement in the workplace; after all, who doesn’t enjoy getting more money?
Invest in the Office
It’s not just the work itself that impacts an employee’s wellbeing. The where and how they work matter, too. Your staff are more likely to have positive mental wellbeing if they work in an environment that’s bright, spacious, and comfortable.
There’s no shortage of ways to improve your office. Improving the amount of natural light, adding plants, and incorporating touches of color can all make a big difference to the ambiance of the space. It’s also recommended to look at how the office impacts physical wellbeing, and make adjustments based on employee feedback. That could involve offering some employees a chair for back pain or buying sit-stand desks to provide staff with choice about how they work. And don’t forget to periodically update the decor — outdated decor can make the space feel tired, lowering morale.
Mandatory Downtime
If you’ve hired correctly, then your team will want to do a good job. However, sometimes the desire to do well can result in team members working extra long hours, and even taking their work home from them. While this might sound good from a business perspective on a short-term basis, it can have consequences on a long-term basis. Staff who don’t have sufficient downtime are more likely to be less productive and face an increased risk of burnout.
The solution? Enforce mandatory downtime in the workplace. That means that employees are discouraged from working beyond a certain hour. Besides simply telling your team to use their evenings for themselves, you can also send an automated response to any emails that are sent by employees during downtime hours, reminding them of the importance of taking time for themselves.
Allow Mental Health Days
It doesn’t matter how many workplace initiatives you instill to boost employee wellbeing; there will always be times when your employees simply don’t have the energy to face the workday. After all, your employees will have a life outside of work, and it won’t always run smoothly.
Allowing your team to take mental health days not only gives your employees the space they need to look after themselves, but it also shows that you care about them — and that can make a big impact on employee retention.
Plus, while you might “lose” a day of work, mental health days are actually an investment that can reduce days off, since they allow employees to take measures that prevent minor issues from becoming more serious problems.
Make The Business Psychologically Safe
Adopting a welcoming, inclusive environment where employees can feel free to be themselves is essential for positive workplace morale.
If the business isn’t psychologically safe, then employees will have to “perform” while they’re at work — and that can take a heavy toll.
Encouraging employees to be themselves not only makes them feel welcome but also benefits the business. Organizations can thrive when team members know that they have the freedom to share their opinions. Ultimately, it’s about nurturing communication, ensuring that everyone in the workplace has the space to make their voices heard.
Help Colleagues Become Friends
Workers are happier at work when they feel like they have friends in the office.
While some people will naturally make friends, others will need a little bit of encouragement. Businesses can encourage workplace friendships by organizing events that allow team members to get to know one another away from the formality of the workday. It doesn’t have to be anything big — even hosting after work beers can be a good starting point. In doing so, you won’t just be helping friendships to blossom that’ll elevate workplace morale, but you’ll also increase the chances of collaboration among team members.
Offer Wellness Stipends
Offering health and wellness stipends has become an increasingly popular perk in recent years, and it’s not hard to see why. These stipends can be used to proactively boost mental and physical wellbeing, helping to prevent issues from arising in the first place.
It’s best to simply offer employees additional money to be used for health and wellness reasons, rather than telling them specifically what the money should be used for. Some employees will use it to join a gym, while others may sign up for yoga classes or use the money to get a massage. So long as it boosts overall wellbeing, then it’ll be money well spent.
Freedom to Work
Managers have a big impact on the ambiance of the workplace, and if they engage in work behaviors that frustrate or annoy employees, then morale will suffer. Managers who engage in micromanaging, for example, can impact employee confidence and happiness. Wherever possible, try to give as much freedom as possible to your team to work their preferred way. So long as the outcome of their work is good, then that’s all that really matters.
Invest in Their Career
Employees feel happier when it feels as if their career is going somewhere. Investing in their career, including by sending them on courses and offering opportunities for progression, is essential for enhancing engagement. Plus, it just gives them confidence that the business believes in them.
Gather Feedback
Finally, remember that while there are a bunch of things you can do to enhance employee wellbeing, the people who will know the most will be the employees themselves. Look at periodically gathering feedback from your staff members about what the business could do to support their wellbeing. Once you have that information, it’ll simply be a matter of putting that feedback into practice — and in doing so, you’ll be showing employees that you listen to their concerns.