How investing in workplace wellbeing can help
Encouraging mental health and wellbeing has become a popular topic in recent years, but you may be wondering whether it is really that important to consider in the workplace.
Picture the following scenario. You have recently noticed that one of your employees has become increasingly irritable, visibly tired and their concentration seems to be elsewhere. This is not typical of their behaviour as they are usually one of your most hard-working employees. You hope that this is something that will just blow over and choose not to get involved. However, after a couple of weeks, you notice this ‘slump’ in productivity is not shifting.
So, what can you do to help? Well, it might be time to start investing in their wellbeing.
Here are three reasons why employers and organisations should consider wellbeing interventions in the workplace.
1. “Happy worker - effective worker”
Individuals with increased wellbeing have been shown to perform better in their job roles than individuals who have lower wellbeing. In particular, research has shown that employee wellbeing can positively influence job satisfaction, productivity and decision-making.
2. Positive working relationships
Poor wellbeing management can lead to roadblocks in relationships between both colleagues and direct reports due to a decrease in connectedness. Encouraging positive working relationships can ensure that your organisation runs as smoothly as possible, by building on trust and increasing positive feelings between employees.
3. Improved health and quality of life
Research has linked low occupational wellbeing to various health problems such as cardiovascular disease, anxiety and poor recovery-time. In turn, this can lead to an increased number of workplace absences and/or workplace injuries. Having an effective wellbeing initiative can help mitigate these problems.
Managing employee care and wellbeing can bring you one step closer to increasing your organisation’s competitive edge and getting the very best out of your workforce.
If you’d like to develop wellbeing in your workplace and learn more about how this can benefit you, contact us or read more about The Wellbeing Workshop on our website.
Warr, P., & Nielsen, K. (2018). Wellbeing and work performance. In E. Diener, S. Oishi, & L. Tay (Eds.), Handbook of well-being. Salt Lake City, UT: DEF Publishers. DOI:nobascholar.com
Quick, J. C., & Henderson, D. F. (2016). Occupational stress: Preventing suffering, enhancing wellbeing. International journal of environmental research and public health, 13(5), 459.
Layous, K. (2019). Promoting happiness in the workplace. Creating psychologically healthy workplaces, 171-195.
Seligman, M. E. (2012). Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and well-being. Simon and Schuster.
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