May 16, 2023
To be truly effective, the employee wellbeing initiatives you implement should be tailored to the demographic of your workforce, the type of business you operate and the goals you wish to achieve.
Tailoring your employee wellbeing initiatives
It is essential that prior to launching any new measures aimed at improving employee wellbeing in the workplace, you consider what benefits you are hoping to achieve by doing so. You must consider the needs and wants of your people, the time and funding you have available, and the level of managerial oversight you are prepared to put in place to ensure a successful outcome.
This is because there are a number of different solutions to improving employee wellbeing, but none that are suitable for every situation, all of the time.
How can managers support employee wellbeing? Key options available
1. Competitive. Some businesses and their staff thrive on competition. For example, salespeople are highly competitive individuals [1] who thrive on successfully achieving or exceeding their goals. They are drawn to businesses that can offer them challenges and opportunities for progression. They are typically people who relish employee wellbeing programs that pit them against their peers, either as individuals or in groups. This demographic enjoys seeing their progress and recognising where greater effort will lead to increased reward. App-based wellness programs can be very effective in this environment.
2. Meditative. Some businesses that are operating in highly stressful environments with tight deadlines and little room for error are often host to driven perfectionists who absolutely do not need any more competition in their lives. For these people, a calmer, more considered approach to wellbeing is generally a more effective strategy. They may not need yoga or counselling, but simply time. Time to think uninterrupted, time to talk, or simply time to be. This demographic doesn't crave a rewards chart and instead considers peace to be reward enough. Providing an IT-free quiet zone [2] or an uninterrupted break can be an effective strategy for reducing stress and improving morale.
3. Supportive. Businesses that are in startup or scaleup mode will often be recruiting large numbers of new people at the same time. These new starters will be thrown into the deep end and expected to adapt quickly to an uncertain landscape, and a rapidly changing culture which will routinely encompass a wide range of personalities, ages and backgrounds. Pulling these people together into a cohesive unit will require an exceptionally supportive environment where training and mentoring are utilised effectively to embed the company's values and mission. Support should always be inclusive and targeted to address any specific developmental needs and to promote a sense of purpose and business identity.
The importance of reward
Often used in conjunction with one or more of the strategies listed above, an effective employee wellness initiative must always provide employees with a reward for participation. Again, the reward on offer will differ depending on the wellness initiative that has been implemented and the target audience's desires.
A certificate of achievement, promotional merchandise or promotion would appeal greatly to a business launching a competitive-based wellness program, whilst a simple acknowledgement of a job well done may be more than sufficient for someone who is new in post and doing their best.
Staff who know that their efforts will be acknowledged are more inclined to maintain morale and will strive to deliver against their objectives. However, leadership teams must acknowledge that every individual has their own set of challenges that may span beyond the day job. For a reward to be effective, it must be as tailored as the employee wellness program itself.
Congratulating somebody for providing support to a new joiner, or for taking a struggling colleague away from the stresses of the office for a talking break is just as important as rewarding those who are achieving their KPIs. The people that make the mental health of others their responsibility are pivotal to the success of a business. They can improve your retention rates and create a positive culture of acceptance.
Implementing a wellbeing solution
For support in identifying and implementing the most appropriate wellbeing solution for your business, please contact Terryberry today. Whatever your motivation for implementing a wellbeing program, whether it is to improve productivity, to reduce staff sickness, or simply to deliver an additional benefit to your employees, we can help. We will work with you to identify the root cause of your issues and tailor a solution that will deliver significant benefits across a number of areas, including productivity and output, staff recruitment and retention and HR costs.
Resources:
[1] https://www.growthengineering.co.uk/competitive-sales-staff/
[2] https://www.ft.com/content/be2ffc93-8968-474a-a8cc-d5e53c036a90