Workplace Well-Being or employee well-being is a hot topic in any office and organization today. As the lines between work and life get blurred because of the pandemic and people wanting to work at home, a different priority has emerged for today’s workplace. A sentiment that DCC has been advocating for a long time now– People are the Real Bottom Line.
In this two-part post, we’ll talk about ten types of well-being that need to be addressed in the office. We’ll also include a tip or two on how to implement them.
Here are the first five:
1️⃣ Physical Well-Being. As leaders, you need to address the physical aspects of your employees. Are you using ergonomic furniture and proper lighting? Do you have disabled-accessible floors, restrooms, and offices? If you provide snacks, are there healthy options? If you have the budget, can you invest in facilities for exercising, or maybe gym memberships? Don’t forget emergency and safety equipment for unpredictable events.
Here’s a thought— (1) Make a standing desk or even a walking (treadmill) desk. Do a survey with your employees and run a pilot. (2) How about a free fruit day? It’s healthy and delicious; we all know what they say about an apple a day.
2️⃣ Emotional Well-Being: Create a positive, supportive, and stress-free work environment, promoting work-life balance, and access to mental health resources. Every leader should know there is still some negative stigma about mental health, and part of any emotional program should be to teach everyone to relinquish this stereotype.
Here’s our take— (1) an employee support group that’s led by a professional therapist or counselor; and as a leader, show the initiative, take the first session. Your example will help others cross their own reticence on getting mental support. (2) How about resiliency training from professionals?
3️⃣ Mental Well-Being: Have opportunities for learning and development, promote creativity, and foster a culture of open communication and collaboration.
Here’s a start— (1) Implement a mentorship program where employees can pair up with more experienced colleagues to discuss projects and professional development. Find employees who can be mentors and those interested in being mentees. Continue checking in with them, and get feedback from both on the program. (2) There are many online webinars; the company can sponsor a few for interested parties to learn new skills.
4️⃣ Social Well-Being: The office, whether everyone is physically or digitally connected, is a community. We need to nurture a sense of belonging within the workplace, promote teamwork and collaboration, and encourage employee participation in company-wide events and activities.
Here are some things to try— (1) Host a company-wide “skill-sharing” day where employees can teach one another new skills or hobbies. Find interested employees who are willing to share, schedule a date and make it like a huge convention with booths and shows. (2) How about scavenger hunts for those working remotely or digital escape rooms where all the answers are connected to their teammates? (3) It’s old school, but a sports team makes for great camaraderie.
5️⃣ Environmental Well-Being: We can no longer deny our impact on the environment. Promote sustainable practices, create a comfortable and visually pleasing work environment, and ensure that the office is accessible and inclusive for all employees.
Here are ways to participate— (1) Implement a recycling program for electronic waste and create a composting program for organic waste. Get a point person, someone part of the team, to lead. And then publicize the program through internal communications channels. Most of your employees have old phones, TVs, laptops, and other digital stuff that’s just lying around at home; it’s high time they get recycled. (2) Again, an oldie but a goodie: carpooling.
There you go. The first five types of Well-Being that every workplace needs to dive into to create a better office experience for everyone and to put the employee first. Our next post will cover the rest. If you can’t wait, we can talk about it directly. Please email us at info@davidcouperconsulting.com.