When you think of wellness, what comes to mind? Let’s start with wellness in the workplace. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) defines work health as “policies, programs and practices that integrate protection from work-related safety and health hazards with promotion of injury and illness prevention efforts to advance worker well-being.”
Caring for employees establishes a foundation for any organization to grow. It’s the age-old saying: “Before you help others, you must first help yourself.” Think of this when approaching holistic employee wellbeing. Not sure where to get started? Check out these tips to ensure more satisfied, energetic and productive employees for yourself and others.
Create a landscape of open communication.
Open communication in a workplace is vital. This means employees feel comfortable asking questions, voicing concerns and sharing opinions. Modeling this openness starts with management. Once openness has been demonstrated and reiterated throughout the organization, it will increase trust and mutual respect among employees, which encourages them to speak up and ask for help.
Organize a wellness committee.
A wellness committee can set the tone for the entire organization. Its main responsibility is to encourage everyone to take better care of themselves by providing healthy snacks, organizing regular social events and challenging individuals to be more active. Simple and regular opportunities for staff to make healthy choices will be beneficial long-term, both for the individual and the business.
Get everybody up and moving.
Sitting in one space for too long can have serious consequences on the body, so make an extra effort to encourage employees to move. Organize an after-lunch stretching session or walk. Give staff the option of standing desks or provide a map with walking trails around the neighborhood. Get creative and make the options accessible as often as possible and get employees to feel good about what they do and just plain feel good.
Encourage taking off needed time.
Even when we take care of our holistic health within the workplace, we still need a break from work every now and then. Encourage yourself and others to pursue activities outside of work which will fortify your identities. When it comes to work productivity, mental wellbeing comes first. When employees know they can take a day off when needed, they feel like they have more control over their own schedules and will do their best when they are at work.
Recognize and praise strengths.
Identify positive traits and strengths within employees for a shared language and to better understand the people working with and around you. Then, use these strengths as a way to recognize small and large achievements in the workplace. The best teams have a diverse group of people with varying strengths, experiences and workstyles.
Check in regularly and reflect.
Everyone should feel heard within a company. Regular communication will help others be aware of progress being made and issues which will undoubtedly arise in personal or professional spheres. Check in with other employees regularly and reflect with them to identify and handle problems before they become serious.
When an organization encourages a healthy and caring philosophy, it shows itself in productivity and work relationships. Fostering a deep sense of health and wellness among the team establishes a strong foundation for the business, which spreads into the community and grows the bottom line.
