Last updated on April 29th, 2024 at 08:25 am
Over time, employees go from feeling like they can do every task to performing the bare minimum at work. This change can be driven by poor working relationships, an increased workload, or even little to no professional growth, compromising employee health and convincing everyone to jump ship. Prioritizing your team members’ well-being keeps them engaged, satisfied, and committed to your organization’s success. Here’s how to ensure a healthy, high-performing workforce.
9 Ways to Support the Well-being of Your Employees
Develop Your Organizational Culture
Caring for your employees starts with your current workplace culture. Take some time to reflect on the environment you’ve created and its impact on employee well-being. Ask yourself: Are team members supported whenever failure strikes? Do employee appraisals measure results or effort? From there, identify your envisioned culture and the changes it would bring, then discuss them with company leaders. Most importantly, give your workforce a voice through pulse surveys with questions like:
- How does (specific benefit) help you juggle work and personal life?
- What’s the most stressful part of your job, and how can we address it?
- Which measures or benefits are the most important for better employee well-being?
- Which benefit do you consider the least essential?
Your gathered data should help you understand what your employees really need. Take this example: Some may prefer stress management over non-work perks like discounts, while others want professional counseling. In both cases, you could offer access to mental health services.
Address Mental Health Concerns
While supporting mental health in the workplace has become imperative in the Philippines, there is still certain stigma around it. Nonetheless, employers must step up and create work environments where mental health issues are understood and addressed. If you’re a manager, it’s important to always check on your employees. Ask them about potential stressors to address them accordingly, and remember to follow up. This way, you show team members that they can turn to you for support.
Identify Your Mission
Employees play a crucial role in achieving a company’s goals. However, some may lack motivation if they’re unclear about how their work contributes to overall success. To ensure everyone is on the same page, communicate your business targets clearly. This helps employees understand their role in achieving organizational objectives, fostering a sense of purpose and motivation in the long run.
Conduct Appraisals From A Different Perspective
Annual performance reviews can be stressful for employees, but there are ways to make them more manageable. Implementing regular check-ins for feedback and offering constructive criticism can help foster a supportive environment focused on employee growth and development.
Implement an Employee Wellness Program
A wellness program encompasses policies and initiatives designed to promote employee well-being. It’s been proven to reduce absenteeism, raise productivity, make workforces happier and more engaged, and decrease stress. As your management team devises a wellness program, look into what’s worked for other companies with such an initiative, then ask your employees for suggestions. Many wellness programs offer benefits like flexible work arrangements (we’ll touch on this benefit later), paid “mental health” leaves, and service or performance awards.
Take Employee Feedback to Heart
Most of the time, a leader’s understanding of employee needs and a workforce’s actual needs don’t align. Addressing this gap starts with simple questions to understand what your people want and actionable solutions to them. Call on employees to share their thoughts, whether positive or negative, during your weekly checkpoints, through company-wide emails, pulse surveys, or other avenues of discussion. For pulse surveys, choose HR software with an anonymized survey feature to gather honest feedback about your approach to employee management. Most importantly, keep these suggestions in mind and let everyone know whether they’ll work for your organization or if there’s another possible solution.
Give Employees More Autonomy at Work
The connection between lack of control at work, declining mental health, and heightened risk of heart disease is significant. Increased workload and limited autonomy also correlate with higher rates of diabetes and cardiovascular-related mortality. These concerning findings emphasize the importance of granting employees autonomy in their roles. Micromanagement is discouraged, and instead, empowering employees through additional training and addressing specific issues can enhance their control over their work environment.
Offer Flexible Work Arrangements
During the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous companies in the Philippines, as in other places, introduced flexible work arrangements to combat the virus’s spread. These measures notably decreased commuting costs and time, and allowed employees to prioritize family responsibilities and provided more leisure opportunities. If you’re contemplating offering flexible work arrangements to Filipino employees, it’s essential to follow the guidelines established by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). For instance, employees with flexible schedules can commence and conclude their workday at their chosen times, ensuring they fulfill their assigned shifts.
Support Your Workforce’s Financial Wellness
Supporting your workforce’s financial wellness is crucial for their overall well-being and productivity. Implementing effective initiatives to promote financial wellness is essential in addressing these challenges. For instance, providing access to an earned wage access platform allows employees to receive instant financial assistance for unexpected emergencies, such as medical expenses or sudden relocations, alleviating financial stress. In addition to earned wage access, offering educational resources is beneficial. Encourage employees to enhance their financial literacy through seminars, online courses, or similar initiatives. By empowering them with the knowledge and tools to manage their finances wisely, you can promote a healthier and more resilient workforce.
Empower Your Team with a Healthy Work Environment
The demands of work can negatively impact one’s health, prompting talented individuals to explore other opportunities. However, when an organization prioritizes employee well-being, it fosters a supportive atmosphere where team members thrive. A robust workplace wellness program plays a pivotal role in promoting employee well-being. If you’re looking to attract and retain top talent by prioritizing their health, Sprout Solutions offers customized wellness programs tailored to your organization’s needs. Book a consultation today to learn more about our Wellness product and how it can benefit your team.
