First published on Friday, Jun 23, 2023
Last updated on Monday, Jun 26, 2023
World Wellbeing Week is the perfect time to check in on your employees and start an open conversation about wellbeing at work. As an employer, you’re in a unique position to make a real difference in the lives of your staff members.
You know your team is the driving force behind your company's success, but in the daily grind of deadlines and deliverables, it's easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. Plus, making sure your team’s wellbeing is supported 365 days a year can be tricky to navigate.
That’s why, to mark World Wellbeing Week, our BrightHR experts have crafted a FREE comprehensive wellbeing policy that you can tailor to your business and use to boost team performance, reduce staff absence, and promote better wellbeing to keep employees engaged.
What is workplace wellbeing?
When we talk about wellbeing in the workplace, we're basically talking about how happy and safe employees feel when they’re at work. It's all about job satisfaction, feeling good about what they do, and not having to worry about getting hurt.
The benefits of having a wellbeing strategy far outweigh the costs. Enhancing your workplace wellbeing can increase employee productivity and reduce absences, improve your reputation and boost retention and recruitment, giving you a competitive edge and saving you money in the long run.
Studies have shown:
More than 40% of Irish workers left their jobs within the past year due to negative impact on their mental health and culture. (1)
Globally, 12 billion working days are lost every year to depression and anxiety resulting in lost productivity. (2)
An increase as small as 4% in your attention to wellbeing can boost your profits (3)
Your workplace wellbeing responsibilities
Regardless of the benefits, as an employer you have a responsibility to ensure the wellbeing of your team.
In fact, The Health and Safety at Work Act mandates you to look after all aspects of health and safety at work, this includes mental health and wellbeing as well as safety.
But how do you put these legal and moral duties into action? These simple steps are sure to put you on the right path:
Make sure your working environment is safe. Conduct risk assessments making sure you consider both physical and mental health risks to individuals and take action based on the results of your assessment.
Introduce mindfulness and educate staff. Ensuring your staff are aware of your wellbeing strategy with handbooks and educating them with e-learning courses, will foster a culture of mindfulness and mutual care.
Protect staff with comprehensive policies. From an equal opportunity or discrimination policy to your wellbeing policy, you must make sure these resources are up-to-date and easily accessible to everyone within your business.
Encourage open communication. This means being willing to have difficult conversations and providing a safe space for your team to share their struggles. It also means leading by example and prioritising your own mental health.
Taking proactive steps to support mental health and wellbeing in your business doesn’t require a huge investment of time or mhjoney. Focusing on flexibility, connection, resources and recognition can help build a supportive company culture where people feel empowered to thrive.
Signs your employee’s wellbeing may be suffering
A study has shown that Ireland has one of the highest rates of mental health illness in Europe. (4)
So, as an employer, it is important to be aware of potential signs of poor wellbeing and mental health issues among your employees.
These signs may include:
Increased absenteeism or lateness If employees are frequently calling in sick or late, it could indicate poor wellbeing or mental health issues like depression or anxiety.
Changes in mood or behaviour. Look out for mood swings, irritability, anger, or withdrawal. Decreased motivation and loss of interest in work or social activities can also be signs of poor mental health.
Difficulty concentrating or making decisions. Mental health conditions like stress, depression, and anxiety can make it hard to focus or think clearly.
Changes in appearance or sleep. Excessive sleeping, insomnia, weight gain or loss, or lack of personal hygiene can be signs of distress.
High staff turnover. If you’re seeing a pattern of employees frequently leaving your business, poor wellbeing may be a contributing factor. Employees in distress may have trouble coping with the demands of the job.
Complaints from co-workers or customers. Pay attention if you’re hearing concerns about an employee’s wellbeing, mood, or job performance from co-workers or clients. Their insight can be valuable.
By spotting these signs early and taking action, you can help support your employees and benefit your business as a whole.
Taking on this responsibility is no easy feat. You may be feeling overwhelmed by all this information or worried about how it affects your own wellbeing and wondering what exact steps you need to take to implement or enhance your wellbeing strategy.
Well, being in the business of people management we’re here to help.
Why you need BrightHR’s FREE wellbeing policy
Solutions to support your team’s wellbeing don’t have to be complicated or expensive. In fact, some of the most effective ways to boost mental health in the workplace are often simple and can cost nothing, or very little, financially.
Your free, expertly written wellbeing policy covers the following topics:
- Encouraging employees to create a work-life balance.
- Considering requests for career breaks and sabbaticals.
- Providing medical assistance to employees.
- Encouraging employee fitness.
- Promoting dignity at work.
- Minimising the stressful impacts of work.
- Managing sickness absence effectively.
By utilising and actioning these essential solutions, you can ensure year-round wellbeing support that helps you protect your people and meet your safety obligations.
Start your workplace wellbeing journey today and download your free wellbeing policy. Your free policy is just the beginning. BrightHR has an extensive suite of time-saving tools that make it even easier to manage, monitor and support your team’s wellbeing 365 days a year.
(1) Prioritising happiness: So, why is the great resignation happening?|ThinkBusiness
(2) Mental health at work |who.int
(3) 2022-2023 Global Wellbeing Survey | Aon
(4) Research – Mental Health Ireland