Some companies tend to overlook — or underestimate — the importance of promoting employee well-being. But the reality is that employee well-being is crucial to creating a positive and productive environment where your staff are eager to — and invigorated by — work.
Mentally healthy workers are simply more productive because they’re more likely to be engaged with their role and satisfied by their work. In turn, they’re less likely to be afflicted by workplace burnout that can manifest in sustained presenteeism, or prolonged use of sick leave.
Prioritizing workplace well-being, and promoting good mental health, is simply crucial to the long-term success and sustainability of any organization.
Here are some actions you and your management team can take to promote well-being at work.
Be supportive through listening
Learn how to have conversations with people you’re concerned about and encourage all staff to look out for each other. This can require developing an active listening attitude because mental stress is invisible, and people are typically guarded about discussing this with their peers. Observe, and look for weak signals while also giving space for colleagues to say what’s on their mind.
A good practice might be to set up an HR hotline, enabling employees to make appointments with human resources via dedicated slots. These time slots should facilitate listening and remain confidential.
Raise awareness of effective time management
Giving employees permission to disconnect and the ability to time block critical activities to avoid distractions can help give them a greater sense of control over their workday. Training in prioritizing and dealing with interruptions — especially with seemingly small things such as mailbox management — can make a substantial difference through simply giving employees the power to balance their activities better.
Promote flexibility at work
Flexible work arrangements, such as telecommuting, flexible scheduling, and compressed work weeks, can improve employee well-being. Telecommuting for critical tasks can more easily enable “deep work” — the state of peak concentration that lets you learn hard things and create quality work quickly. That’s in addition to reducing employee stress by improving their ability to manage their work-life balance and just reducing the mental and physical toll of constant commuting.
Provide employees with a quality office
In turn it’s also important not to overlook the benefits of a quality workspace. Invest in quality when it comes to the basics such as a desk, the right equipment for the task (a workstation that isn’t obsolete or underpowered, for example) and a comfortable, ergonomic chair, and a break room for people to relax in. It can make all the difference.
Establish a feedback culture
Give employees opportunities and way to raise important workplace issues. But confidential channels and hotlines must be demonstrably and consistently anonymous, with no risk of attribution or retribution. For instance, it would be advantageous to conduct anonymous surveys every three months, enabling employees to freely express their well-being perspectives.
Feedback must be followed up with a highly visible response and clear communication about the next steps. Reverse mentoring and trust circles can also help shift power dynamics and enable leaders to understand firsthand what’s going on at the coalface and how its affecting employee well-being.
Create moments of conviviality
Fostering social belonging across an organization doesn’t have to be a complex or expensive proposition. It can be as simple as sharing meals and organizing outings to give people opportunities to relax in each other’s company and develop collegiality.
In the long run, companies that care about their employees’ health and well-being are more likely to have employees who in turn respect the company they work for.
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