How to promote employee well-being in the workplace

Addressing the Discrepancy in Employee Well-being Support

According to IBM (2020), only 46% of employees said their company supports their physical and emotional health. On the other hand, 80% of executives believe their company is supportive. This is a dangerous discrepancy which can affect not just your employees but the organization as a whole.

One contributing factor is the high prevalence of stress among employees while they are working, as reported by Champion Health. More specifically, 58% of employees stated that they experience some form of stress during their work hours. Additionally, a significant 35% of employees acknowledged that this work-induced stress negatively impacts them. Furthermore, poor mental health is also cited as a factor that hurts productivity for 20% of employees in the study.

To address this issue, it is a good idea to promote employee well-being in the workplace. This can be done through a variety of ways which will be discussed in this blog!

1. Ensure your employees feel welcome and part of the team

Employee well-being is interlinked with the employee experience which starts even before day one. Ensure that you instill them with the feeling that they are welcome at your organization and empowered in their role. This can help them because starting a new job can be a stressful time filled with nerves and anxiety.

Creating a sense of empowerment starts at the moment you get a new hire, specifically, with a good preboarding experience. Good preboarding can help new hires’ well-being in many ways. For example, it can help them relieve first-day nerves by clearing all their doubts or by providing them with all the information they need even before the first day of work. 

Furthermore, great onboarding experiences can set the tone for the future of your new hires as well as your organization as a whole. By setting the tone early, you allow new hires to create a close-knit network of support which can help them alleviate stress and maintain their well-being throughout their time in your organization (SHRM, 2010). By focusing on good pre- and onboarding you can subtly promote employee well-being in your organization which can have a positive impact on the workplace.

2. Have fun together as a team

Work hard, play hard is a motto many people go by which can help with employee well-being. 53% of adults feel better about themselves after exercising and 30% say that it lowers their stress levels (APA, 2013).

That’s why after a long day or week of work, consider setting up fun or sporty activities with your team to not only promote employee well-being but to form better connections with them. 

As an illustration, at Appical, we have our very own FCA (Fun Committee Appical), established by a group of our colleagues with the sole purpose of having a great time. We organize a range of activities including sports like Padel or activities like bowling or cocktail competitions!

3. Give your employees freedom and flexibility

Getting work done is obviously important but don’t forget to give employees some breathing room. Allow them to do their work at their own pace and minimize any last minute requests from them. 

Another important aspect is giving your employees the freedom and flexibility to work from home or the office. Some people are more productive and comfortable while working from home and vice versa. 73% of employees want flexible remote work options to stay (Microsoft, 2021). Therefore, creating and maintaining a hybrid workplace is crucial.

[.callout-small]If you're interested in reading more on this topic, we advice you to take a look at our infographic: How promoting work-life balance can help your organization. [.callout-small]

Remember: employees are people first and foremost. It is crucial to take their well-being into consideration because their success is intertwined with the success of your organization. After all, a healthy workforce leads to a healthy and thriving company.