Recognizing the strong relationship between employee wellness and productivity, more and more companies are taking steps to ensure the health and wellbeing of their people.
Many people report experiencing overwhelming workplace pressure and feeling paralyzed by the fear of underproducing, which leads to unhappy employees who are burnt out and in turn, less productive. This condition has been referred to as presenteeism – employees are physically present at work but are mentally checked out.
Employees who work remotely seem to exhibit greater levels of productivity than their office-goer counterparts. This productivity boost can be partially linked to healthy wellness habits that remote and hybrid employees are able to pursue more easily and incorporate into their lifestyle. Some fully remote companies even allow their employees to lean into their night owl or early bird habits and work hours that best fit their desired schedules.
Employee wellness can take on many different forms, all of which are equally important:
Social wellness. Humans crave connection so the workplace should be an environment where social connection is valued, creating a sense of community and belongingness where employees can easily approach one another.
Physical wellness. Many employees spend a lot of time indoors sitting in front of their computers. Remind them of the benefits of moving around and going outdoors and encourage taking breaks during the day to move around. Consider offering wellness stipends for employees to spend on their personal wellness such as a gym membership.
Economic wellness. It’s essential that you have a structured process in place to conduct annual or semiannual payroll evaluations and adjustments. Your employees should know that they are being compensated fairly for their time and work.
Emotional wellness. Providing employees with the time – sick days, vacation days and personal days – as well as the necessary resources to take care of personal needs or problems that arise unexpectedly enables them to come back to work refreshed and with a clearer mind.
Workplace wellness can take on many different forms and follow various implementations. Overall, employees whose wellness is taken care of are likely to show up to work engaged, which translates into increased productivity and company morale. Also, employees who see their supervisors engage in wellness efforts are more likely to do so themselves.