Workplace wellbeing: what is it and why is it important?
For any employer, the health and wellbeing of your employees should be among your primary concerns. Your workers’ productivity is after all directly tied to the success of your business; and happy, healthy employees are naturally more positive and productive than those who are under the weather or under the thumb.
Productivity aside, employers are legally accountable for the health and safety of their workers on the job; and that’s without mentioning the moral dimension. Your employees don’t need to be your family or your friends, but when they’re on the clock for you you’re responsible for them; all of which makes workplace wellbeing a hot topic in management.
Wellbeing can be simply defined as a state of peace or contentment which enables the individual to flourish. If those words sound a bit more “New Age” than you’re used to, don’t be put off: in other words, wellbeing is positivity which leads to progression – for the individual, and for whatever enterprise they’re involved in. Workplace wellbeing, then, is nothing more complicated than a working environment which creates this state in your employees; a positive atmosphere which encourages the company and its individuals to flourish and progress.
Hopefully, the value of workplace wellbeing should speak for itself. If you find yourself needing to speak on its behalf, here are the key reasons why workplace wellbeing is now more essential than ever:
• Their success is your success. If your employees are happy and feel able to develop themselves personally and professionally, the net effect for your business will be positive. Happy workers are dedicated workers, and employees you help to progress will likely be motivated to repay your investment in them.
• It’s great employer branding. Workplace wellbeing starts with a positive working environment, which also feeds into a strong and positive employer brand. If your employees are happy working for you, word will spread, allowing you to reap the rewards of your workplace wellbeing in terms of recruitment and reputation over the long term.
• Do your duty. Don’t forget your legal responsibilities in terms of health and safety, employee conduct, relationship management and so on. Your precise responsibilities will of course depend on your role and the industry you work in; but do your homework, or pay someone to do it for you, and keep on the right side of the law.
• It’s nice to be nice. Workplace wellbeing can have a major positive impact on your company in terms of growth, success, branding, reputation, recruitment and retention. It can also enable your employees to flourish, all while making sure you stay safe and compliant. There’s a simpler reason for its importance, however: it’s nice to be nice, and a positive workplace can make a huge difference to your and your employees’ daily lives.
Workplace wellbeing is important. There are a huge number of ways to start improving yours; from small, focused changes like healthy eating and exercise initiatives, to full-scale overhauls of a workplace’s culture.
The first step is knowing why workplace wellbeing is so important: mmmultitude, with over 20 years’ experience in quality management and health and safety, are here to help you take it from there.
