Wellbeing at work – top tips for introducing a wellbeing program to you workplace
More and more organisations are realising the benefits of introducing a workplace wellbeing program. Not only is it way to boost staff health it’s also a great way to build a more positive working culture.
So what can business do to implement an effective wellbeing programme? Here 5 top tips to keep in mind when establishing an effective wellbeing program;
Leadership buy – this is critical for the success of a wellbeing program, programs will require money and time. If the leaders are not supportive of staff wellbeing then the program will not be promoted and attendance will be minimal or decline rapidly. Highlight key metrics, potential savings, a robust plan and budget to key stakeholders.
Link wellbeing to business strategy – the business goals are the most important thing for an organisation so if you can link wellbeing initiatives to the overall business strategy its more likely to work. An example would be if the organisation strategy is to make a big change you may want to introduce wellbeing initiatives that include stress awareness, resilience, connection with others.
Workplace wellbeing group – Don’t rely on the leaders to drive attendance. Create a small group of workers representing each team or department with a varieties of experience, they can give you ideas and feedback and rally up attendance.
Variety – its important that wellbeing programs offer a mixture of topics and initiatives. Peoples needs are different and can change. Think about initiatives that involve the body, mind and spirit.
Review – take time to review how well attended your wellbeing initiatives are. Lots of people may like the idea of yoga at work and be very vocal about having it but if attendance is poor you may want address this by providing more information about the benefits and make changes to better suit your employee needs for example change the time, day, duration.
The real challenge comes when trying to implement wellbeing related initiatives that are actually needed, not just what people want and think they need. This is where alignment to strategy, communication and education is key. The amount of times I have heard employees requesting wellbeing initiatives and then not attending. It takes a strong leadership culture and management to drive attendance and support employees in learning to balance all the aspects of life in line with the worked needed to run a sustainable and authentically happy business.
Need help implementing a successful wellbeing program please contact Victoria Jones, Victoria@PCWellbeing.com