In several industries, employees are clearly a company’s most prized asset and accordingly deserve the treatment associated with that title. A large number of companies do a variety of things to promote employee well-being in the organization. Not every company has the budget, like Google, Apple and some of the others that offer the best and most innovative perks out there. Yet, there are several measures that companies can opt for to take care of employee well-being.
Promote a healthy workplace:
Creating a healthy workplace need not be an extravagant affair. It may not be possible for smaller companies to set up gyms or sporting facilities within their office premises. They can however encourage their employees to participate in walking clubs, conduct yoga sessions or even go for a run before or after work timings. Healthy employees are less likely to call in sick. On the contrary they are proven to be more productive, loyal and committed, knowing that their wellbeing is important to their employer. Essentially, investing in a healthy workplace pays back through better productivity and retention, and lower sickness absence costs.
Mental health:
Ignoring mental health in the workplace, especially in today’s era doesn't make good business sense. It's important to understand that some employees, if not most, can be terribly stressed out due to work pressures or some other reasons. It can be difficult to perform as per your expectations if you're consistently overwhelmed. Companies need to tackle the stigma and discrimination of mental health problems in the workplace and offer counseling sessions by experts or provide the necessary means to overcome these problems. Such steps can make a positive impact on the personal as well as professional lives of people who are experiencing, or have experienced, mental health problems. In the end both the employer as well as the company will be able to reap the benefits of these measures.
Nutrition:
A healthy and nutritious diet is one of the easiest ways to avoid stress in the organization. Thus companies should provide access to organic, processed-free foods at a moderate cost. An integrative wellness program can teach others about how to eat healthy and provide proactive feedback on health and diet. Companies can also invite experts to talk about how one should plan their nutrition and not get swayed by some fad diets and cause more harm to oneself than good.
Encourage moving around (activity):
Employees sit at their desks (especially in desk job settings) for prolonged periods of time that lead to stiffness, back pain and muscular problems, and it can disrupt blood sugar levels. Encourage people to get moving and be less sedentary. Provide standing or adjustable desks, sit-stand stools or chairs whenever and wherever possible as these ensure there is less muscular pain, more energy and a greater focus. A few well known leaders are also known to conduct their meetings while standing so that everyone is alert.
Flexibility:
The management should create an environment that is supportive of employees’ personal lives, while also fulfilling their professional commitments. They should provide safe, adaptable working practices and technology, allowing them to perform their job anywhere, at any time, as long as the needs of the business are met. Some individuals prefer working in solitude of their homes so here work from home options can lead to a huge boost in productivity and provide a mental and emotional break from a long commute and being in the office. If it's appropriate for your work environment, give employees the option to work from home a day a week, and you have the potential to see a boost in productivity and morale.
Gel in the fun activities:
Employees work with one another on several projects, but it is important that they are culturally attached to the organization fabric. Getting in some periodic fun activities ensure that the teams are able to work as extended families and they support each other even more in times of needs. Celebrations can also be related to birthdays, special events or special festivals, where group activity can be promoted.
Making sure that you focus the right amount of energy on taking care of employee well-being is sure to lead to a significant increase in your team’s engagement, cohesiveness and overall productivity. What steps are you taking?
Suggestions and comments welcome
Rekha Jain
http://Rekha.jain@paysquare.com/
