Most forward-thinking managers and business owners would likely agree that curating wellness in the workplace is not only a healthy decision, but fundamental to the development and growth of reliable employees. But how this wellness is achieved can be executed via different measures. For example, one employer might consider free coffee to be the hallmark of office wellness, and while it can help on a cold morning, that’s hardly going to be the only benefit appreciated from the top down.
So, what does wellness in the workplace really look like? What are its foundational goals? And moreover, how can we avoid solely paying lip service to the idea of wellness, as opposed to integrating significant measures that improve the working life of people in your space? After all – most employees would rather be relaxing on a beach than heading into the office, but we can still make their presence here comfortable, relaxing, joyful even. Yet amid hard work, it’s also important to note not everyone will feel super happy at all times, and that’s not always a realistic goal to focus on anyway.
Let’s consider, then, three vital truths to help you achieve the right outcome:
Providing Support Resources
It’s important to provide access to worthwhile people management resources, but not solely from an HR lens, even if that is very important. It’s also important to respect the natural diversity of your workforce, some might prefer mental health resources, some might ask what is a corporate chaplain and be happy to use those services instead. For example, if an employee is suffering bereavement, offering resources they can use and working with them to help a break from work, give support, and return when they’re ready, can make a big difference.
Provide Effective Amenities
It’s always highly important to provide effective amenities proven to work and offer the kind of value your customers need. This might involve bike sheds, smoking areas away from the main doors, a highly clean and well-equipped kitchen, ergonomic furniture that supports health and good posture, air filters that keep the office environment pleasant to occupy, and HVAC to manage temperature correctly. All of that makes a profound difference to your wellness, so don’t ignore those methods, they’re worth investing in.
Offering Flexibility & Remote Work Options
One thing that managers learned during the remote work shift during the pandemic is that it can be the cornerstone of a happy life well lived. Flexibility helps productivity, not the other way around, and it’s not just ground-level employees who benefit but managers too. Even if you don’t necessarily implement hybrid roles for your employees, you can absolutely allow the infrastructure to help you, from quick video meetings between departments or helping people work if they need to from home, perhaps to accommodate some of the issues raised in this article.
With this advice, you’re sure to implement wellness in the workplace through the best possible means. With a little dedication to getting things right, you may be surprised at just how much effective talent wishes to work with you.
