5 Employee Wellbeing Initiatives to Implement

5 employee wellbeing initiatives you can implement today

As a business, it’s your responsibility to prioritise staff wellbeing. People’s mental health and wellbeing are super important not only for the individual, but for creating a positive work environment where employees can thrive and business can boom.

So, what is the secret of creating a happier, healthier workplace? In this article, we focus on the importance of wellbeing at work and what initiatives you can put in place today.

What is the importance of wellbeing at work?

Employee wellbeing can drastically change your work culture and your business performance.  Making sure that your employees are happy, healthy and feel supported in the workplace can have a positive impact on your business as they are more committed, productive and feel less stressful at work.

Wellbeing initiatives to put into action

Making sure your company prioritises health and wellbeing at work doesn’t need to be complicated – there are many things you can do to make sure your employees are happy and healthy at work. Here are a few examples of wellbeing initiatives you can implement in the workplace today…

Prioritise mental health

First and foremost, the best wellbeing initiative you can put in place is to start talking about mental health in your workplace. Check in with your employees to see what’s important to them and ask them about their wellbeing, so you can understand what other things you can put in place to improve their mental health and wellbeing. You can also look at timesheets and sickness absence rates to get an idea of how your employees are managing. If there are any gaps or long periods of sickness, then check in with them to see if they are ok.

Create a healthy work environment  

Creating a healthy, physical workspace is key for making sure employees feel comfortable at work.  If you’re working in an office, making sure that the noise levels, room temperature and desks are set up comfortably, as these all contribute to a healthy work environment. If your staff work remotely, then you can make sure that they have the equipment they need to work comfortably from home.

It’s important that your staff are taking regular breaks away from their desks, whether they’re in the office or working remotely, so encourage your staff to step away from their workstations and go outside for fresh air.

Promote a good work/life balance

Giving your staff a five-minute break every now and then doesn’t cut it anymore. When it comes to the wellbeing of staff, making sure they have a good work/life balance is key for keeping them healthy, motivated, productive and happy at work. Some of the initiatives you can do to ensure they have a good work/life balance is to promote flexible working. Whether it’s advocating flexible work hours or encouraging staff to take full lunchbreaks and their annual leave, making sure that your employees are able to work around their family and lifestyle helps to keep them happy, healthy and reduces sickness absence at work.

Encourage positive working relationships

Another employee wellbeing initiative you can put in place today is to support your team and culture. Giving people the opportunity to collaborate and engage with each other is great for creating a culture where employees support one another and promote positivity at work.

Regular check-ins with your employees also enable them to suggest what they want from their roles and share ideas on how the business can support and improve their wellness.

Support their professional development

Making sure your employees have opportunities to grow in their roles and do their jobs to a high standard is just as important as providing them with a healthy workspace. Professional development is important when it comes to employee wellbeing as it helps gives staff a purpose. You can help employees gain confidence and new skills by providing them with training, being available for check-ins, rewarding their capabilities and giving them development plans to manage their performance. At ActivPeople HR, we have modules that record and track objectives, and give your employees goals to work towards to help them grow.

Explore our employee wellbeing support

If employee wellbeing is something that you want to prioritise more at your company, then these wellbeing initiatives can help kickstart your programme.

For more information about the support we provide to monitor professional development and prioritise staff wellbeing, take a look at our HR modules. Get in touch to discuss your needs or book a demo to see how our software can support you.

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