Wellbeing impacts our physical, financial and emotional states. So, why have a wellbeing programme in place? It’s a no-brainer that happier, healthier, stress-free employees will take less time off work and have higher levels of productivity. That is why an effective wellbeing programme is a vital part of any business.
There are various trends impacting wellbeing and one that is growing at an alarming rate is the use of social media. The average person will spend nearly two hours (approximately 116 minutes) on social media every day. If we could minimise the amount of time we spend on social media and instead focus this time on our personal wellbeing, it could have a dramatic effect. As little as one hour of exercise a week can help reduce your stress levels!
Another trend we are seeing impacting wellbeing as a result of New Zealand’s growing population is the commute to/from work. The commute to/from work is becoming much more stressful and a lot of people are resorting to using public transport or even cycling to work in order to avoid peak hour traffic.
Here are some ideas for businesses to help improve wellbeing in their workplace:
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Flexible working.
This is now expected by a lot of employees, particularly Millennials. We have discussed our flexible work environment in a previous blog article.
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Work from anywhere.
Technology is allowing is to do this so let’s embrace it and change our mindset.
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Medical insurance.
People often hesitate in going to the doctor due to the cost. By offering medical cover, you may find your employees will seek treatment faster and recover quicker, resulting in less sick leave.
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Annual wellbeing allowance.
An allowance for employees to spend on wellbeing activities of their choice.
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Fitness and exercise.
Some ideas include workplace yoga, team walks/runs, steps challenge, forming a touch/netball team etc.
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Listen to your employees.
Survey your workforce and ask them what they would like.
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Wellbeing committee.
Form a committee to raise awareness of wellbeing in your workplace.
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Keep it simple and fun.
Morning teas, shared lunches, outside meetings and have your lunch away from your desk.
A recent article by Alsco has some more great ideas on ways to boost employee wellbeing. Alsco aims to deliver a greener, safer and healthier workplace for New Zealander businesses.
If you are interested in implementing an employee wellbeing programme in your workplace – or you wish to improve an existing one – please do get in touch.
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