The importance of well-being in the workplace

Given that we spend a third of our adult lives at work, it makes sense that we feel our best both mentally and physically when we’re there. A workplace culture that prioritises well-being ensures that staff perform better and that your brand is more appealing to a new generation of workers.

People are the backbone of any successful business and if you fail to look after them it will have a detrimental effect across the board.

But while the importance of well-being at work is widely discussed,  there is still much to be done in the UK as according to the 2024 Burnout Report, 70% of those in employment suffer from work related stress.

And last year, the HSE stated that there were 1.8 million people in the UK suffering from work-related illness, ranging from stress, depression and anxiety through to postural disorders and catching COVID at work.

According to the NHS, a major cause of workplace illness is a lack of support or sympathy from managers – people feel as if they are not being heard when they complain of stress or anxiety caused by their working environment. 

The benefits of well-being in the workplace

When looking into why well-being is important in the workplace, the most obvious answer is that people take more days off sick when well-being isn’t prioritised. Coughs and colds and other minor illnesses are the cause of 33 million lost work days in the UK. It is estimated that £150bn is lost each year due to staff ill health. 

Poor mental health is said to result in 18 million lost working days each year with mental health difficulties costing the economy up to £117.9 billion per annum. That equates to around 5% of the country’s GDP.   

Evidence suggests that staff well-being and performance are linked and that if you look after employees, you’ll get a harder working, more devoted and happier workforce as a result. A happy staff member is one that provides value to your organisation – according to Spill, a contented employee is 13% more productive.

Signs that your workplace isn’t supporting well-being

If HR and line managers aren’t actively encouraged to support the health and mental well-being of staff, then your workplace is likely to be unhealthy. Make sure that everyone in the organisation is encouraged to prioritise their own self care from the bottom up.

If staff are regularly taking holiday time as sick days or for when they feel the pressure is getting too much, then your organisation has a problem with presenteeism – nearly 67% of companies say that this is common practice according to CIPD. You need to look beyond the number of sick days taken and try and work out the underlying reasons for persistent absences or the use of holiday entitlement as a self-care tool.

Working overtime shouldn’t be a norm. If staff members are doing long hours because it is the only way they can get through their work load, they are in danger of burnout. If overtime is necessary, ensure it is planned in advance and remunerated.

If staff aren’t trusted and have little autonomy, the chances are, they won’t be happy at work. If this is part of your office culture, then you’ll find that your organisation isn’t popular with the younger generation of workers who prefer a flexible working style. 

Ways to improve well-being at work

There are plenty of things you can do to ensure that your employee’s well-being is well looked after in the workplace. They include:

• Prioritise mental health – you expect to find access to water, ergonomic seating and perhaps even a gym membership in the workplace but mental well-being is as important as physical wellness. According to Headspace, 71% of companies decided to focus on staff mental health after lockdown but disappointingly, only 25% have kept it up. If you want to know how to help your staff with their mental health, why not consider a survey to find out what their issues are and how they’d like you to help.
• Watch out for burnout – burnout has become a bit of a buzzword in today’s workplace and that’s because there has been increasing pressure on workers to hit targets. The Burnout Report found that 20% of employees have suffered from burnout in the past 12 months. Age is a factor and the likelihood of burnout decreases as a person gets older. Look out for signs of burnout which include a short fuse, tiredness and frequent health problems. Encourage your staff to share their work anxieties with HR and line managers and let it be known that opening up about mental health difficulties is not a sign of weakness.
• Don’t frown upon time off  – everyone needs time off to recharge, let off steam and rest. Make sure your teams understand that it is okay for them to take time off if they need it, for example, in the case of illness or bereavements and if there are times when they feel it necessary to take a step back. Make sure yours is an organisation where suicide prevention is central.
• Prioritise financial well-being – according to The Happiness Project, employees take three days off each year due to financial worries and Barclays calculates that poor financial health costs organisations four percent of their payroll. Make sure that people are paid fairly and that there is no discrimination taking place. You could also help by providing support with financial literacy and the cost of living crisis.
• Discourage presenteeism – the way we work has changed and the shift gathered momentum post lockdown. The new generation of employees expect to be able to work in an agile fashion. Allow your staff to work flexibly and let them know they can have time off if they need it and you will go a long way towards improving their well-being.
• Encourage openness – encourage all employees to be open about their mental health. You can’t expect people to ask for help if their line managers are a closed shop when it comes to their own mental well-being. Headspace found that 93% of today’s workforce expect their employer to take responsibility for supporting them with their mental well-being.
• Ask and listen – everybody is different which is why there is no one blanket solution for improving well-being in the workplace. For example, there’s no point in setting aside a space for meditation when what your employees really want is fresh air at lunchtime or feeling that they can ask for time off without being penalised. Ask employees what measures you can take to support their well-being. 

Designing a workplace well-being strategy

When setting out to ensure that you’re doing your utmost to support employee well-being, include the following elements in your strategy – 

Health and safety – make sure that you have safe working practices within your organisation and that all staff members are trained in personal safety. Look after physical health by offering health insurance and/or well-being benefits such as gym membership. If any staff members have a disability, make sure that they are properly supported. Work closely with occupational health practitioners to maximise well-being in the workplace. 

Good practices – an inclusive work culture, fair pay, staff autonomy, options for flexible working, good leaders and ensuring a healthy work/life balance will all contribute to employee well-being. Fall short in any one of these areas and it could impact staff morale and ultimately, productivity and employee retention.

Communication – encourage staff members to share any concerns with their line managers and ensure that those line managers are receptive and supportive. Try and involve employees in decision making and encourage team building exercises that will foster good relationships between workers and their managers.

Values – go over and above in your efforts to make sure that all staff members feel valued and included. Encourage diversity and value difference. You could also consider CSR projects that will help to build better relationships between team members and managers.

Personal growth – If you want your employees to stick around, you need to show them that there are practices and a culture in place that encourages personal growth. Consider mentoring and coaching schemes along with performance development strategies. Give equal access to training and development and make sure that all staff members know how they can benefit from these during their annual review. You could also consider offering support with other areas such as stress management, financial health, etc.

Lifestyle choices  – encourage good lifestyle choices with schemes such as Walk To Work or by offering exercise classes within the building. Make sure there are healthy options available in the canteen and ensure that all staff take regular screen breaks. If you can, provide an outdoor area where staff an take their breaks ini the fresh air, weather permitting. 

Conclusion…

As a business, you are responsible for supporting and encouraging well-being at work. To foster a culture of well-being, make sure that senior managers know it’s a priority, doing so will ensure a happier and more productive workplace for everyone.