How To Improve Employees Holistic Wellbeing

Promoting a healthy lifestyle for employees and their families with the help of educational resources and health programs is deemed as Workplace wellness.

When we think of wellness, physical fitness comes to our mind or even diet. However, these are not the only factors that include holistic well-being. Well-being is a broad term that can be applied in different areas and can mean differently to many, one such area is workplace wellness. Well-being is defined as the complete quality of an employee’s involvement and performance at work. An individual’s well-being is measured in three key dimensions that are a) psychological that includes the subjective outlook of individual experience, b) physical well-being that includes bodily health and functioning and c) social well-being that focuses on the quality of relationships with other people.

A study conducted by the American Psychological Association (APA) in 2016 showed that workplace wellness programs with senior leadership showed positive employee outcomes as 89 percent recommended their company culture was good. And 91 percent were motivated to work better. Subsequently, another study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine found that participating in wellness programs can help improve productivity levels among employees and save money for their employers.

Holistic workplace wellness holds equal importance since employees spend a large period of time at work hence the workplace is the ideal setting to address the wellness issues of employees. The spotlight on employee well-being has increased especially in the year 2020 as everyone has started to work from home that includes stressors of their own. Work contributes many potential stressors that can negatively impact employees on a day-to-day basis.

How to improve Holistic well-being in employees?

Promoting a healthy lifestyle for employees and their families with the help of educational resources and health programs is deemed as workplace wellness.

1. Incentive compensation practices are monetary and non-monetary benefits provided to employees in exchange for performance. The purpose is to enhance performance by keeping in mind the interest of the employees and employers.

2. EAP (Employee Assistance Programs) – Offering EAP services for employees and encouraging them to meet psychologists who operate 24/7 where they can express the stressors they are facing at their workplace and how to effectively manage it. These resources must be accessible to all the employees in the organization.

3. Conducting workshops regularly that include stress management programs for all the employees in the organization that are interactive will help in understanding how to implement the strategies in the workplace.

4. Promoting a positive work environment where the office is set in an employee-friendly manner that encourages interaction and creativity by still maintaining privacy. There needs to be open communication between the employees and the supervisors so the ideas and voices can be heard to create a positive work front.

5. Providing employees opportunities for social engagement includes team-building activities providing employees with the opportunity to bond and get to know one another both inside and outside of the office. Building upon work relationships will help positively impact employee wellness.

The Impact of Holistic Employee well-being

They are a great way to promote healthy behaviour in the workplace, by designing programs that are engaging and informative to reduce employee absenteeism, increase productivity and reduce health care costs. The impact holistic well-being can have on the employees and the organization are:

1. Increases Productivity – Wellness programs can help employees improve their productivity by adopting health-conscious behaviour like regular exercise. Good sleep hygiene affects work performance with better focus at work

2. Increase in Employee Engagement – Group activities that connect employees more to their fellow employees and the company like breakfast meetings and volunteering opportunities.

3. Reduce Absenteeism – Employees engaging in healthier behaviour and lifestyle choices are less likely to be absent from work. Such employees are likely to be more invested in their work and be more productive in general.

4. Reduce Stress – Workplace stress is an unavoidable part of our everyday life. Unhealthy employees can lead to lower productivity and increased absenteeism. Hence, activities like exercises and mindfulness practices can be incorporated in relieving the stress and focus on the present moment by being relaxed.

5. Improve the morale of the employee as it creates a sense of satisfaction among the employees when they participate in wellness programs which leads to a happier and more productive work environment as they feel values and appreciated.

A holistic approach to employee well-being helps employees achieve their aspirations and goals. It's time now that companies must organize holistic workplace wellness programs that support all aspects of an employee’s wellbeing to reap the rewards of a productive workforce while acquiring a competitive edge.

About the author -

Counselling Psychologist, Kaleidoscope

Kaleidoscope, a unit of Dr. Bakshi’s Healthcare, offers mental health support to individuals across age groups through a gifted team of clinical and counselling psychologists.