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Taking steps to ensure the health and safety of your workforce is not only a legal requirement: effectively managing
employees’ well-being can also have a positive impact on morale and productivity, boosting concentration and
motivation levels, and helping to attract and retain skilled members of staff.
A recent report outlined the need for
employers to address a ‘well-being vacuum’
that has evolved within modern workplaces,
with many businesses taking a reactive
rather than a proactive approach. Here we
consider some strategies to help encourage
employee well-being in your workplace.
A healthy workplace
As an important first step, you should ensure
that the working environment is clean,
comfortable and free of potential hazards.
As well as helping to minimise the risk of an
employee falling ill or an accident occurring,
putting such measures in place will help to
ensure well-being and boost productivity.
You should consider all aspects of the
working environment, from the layout of the
office, to the noise and heat levels generated
by equipment such as printers and radiators,
potential hazards such as computer or
telephone cables, and individual employees’
seating arrangements. Conducting a risk
assessment will help to highlight any
areas of the business where things could
be improved.
Mental health in the
workplace
Beyond the immediate physical environment,
effective stress management has become
an important part of maintaining a healthy
and efficient workforce. Mental health issues
such as stress and anxiety are becoming
increasingly recognised by businesses, and
can significantly impact on employees’
physical health. Work-related stress accounts
for millions of lost working days in the UK
every year. Managing stress in the workplace
should be part of your business strategy, and
staff should be encouraged and supported
in minimising their stress levels with some
simple steps, for example:
Effectively managing time
–
Creating a balanced work schedule,
which accounts for all tasks and
responsibilities, can significantly reduce
stress levels
Taking regular breaks
– As well as
reducing physical stresses on the body,
taking regular breaks from a computer or
workstation can help to refocus the mind
Prioritising the workload
– Particularly
helpful in times of pressure, creating a
priority list can help to ensure that you
complete the essential tasks first
Being open to compromise
– Be open
and willing to alter the way in which you
contribute to a particular task or work
towards a deadline, including delegating
work to others where appropriate.
Dealing with staff sickness
Employee sickness can be detrimental to
all parties, having a knock-on effect on
other members of staff and the business
as a whole. As well as putting in place a
sickness policy outlining the procedures an
employee should follow if they are unwell,
you should have contingency plans to
cover any work in their absence. For cases
of long-term sickness, businesses should
consider measures to help support the
individual back to work, such as reduced
hours, amended duties or remote working.
To help keep sickness levels to a minimum,
you might also consider offering the flu
vaccine to employees.
Sickness is an inevitable and often
uncontrollable part of life. However,
by ensuring that you monitor your
workplace well-being strategy, and by
working with your employees, you can
help to minimise the long-term effects
on both your staff and your business.
Your well-being strategy
checklist
Creature comforts:
is the working
environment comfortable, with
noise, lighting and temperatures set
at appropriate levels?
Shipshape:
are workstations
and other areas clean, tidy and
hazard-free?
Healthy eating:
a good diet can help
to boost well-being. If you provide
your staff with a canteen or other
eating facilities, you might consider
including healthy snack options
Have a break:
are staff able to
take regular breaks, away from
their workstations?
An open policy:
do staff feel able
to approach managers regarding
their well-being?
Posing the question:
consider
asking staff to report on their
health and satisfaction levels
Time for fun?
Arrange a
communications day with some fun
activities to help staff to relax and
to improve team bonding.
Are you sitting comfortably?
Managing well-being in the workplace