The Importance of Wellness in the Workplace

A company culture built on the wellness of its employees, is a company that strives for success. If you are going to lead a successful organisation, you must invest in the wellness of your most valuable asset – your employees.
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Investing in your employee’s wellness means caring for their mental, physical, and emotional health. The Global Wellness Institute defines workplace wellness as the ‘activity or organisational policy designed to support healthy behaviour among employees and to improve health outcomes.’ Simply promoting healthy behavioural habits with the organisation can have a real impact on how your employees feel. This is important, as how employees feel mentally and physically can have a real impact on the company culture, employee experience, productivity, and overall organisational success.

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Why is wellness in the workplace important?

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Positive Engagement

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In 2016 the American Psychological Association found that 91% of employees feel motivated to do their best when working for companies that have wellness programmes. Similarly, research published in the same year by the Economist Intelligence Unit highlighted the importance of wellness programmes in aligning employer and employee goals. They found that employees working in organisations that promote a wellness culture are twice as likely to be more engaged with the organisational mission. Make employee wellness a fundamental part of the overall employee experience, and your employees with make it a priority to support your goals.

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Reduces absenteeism

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A 2019/2020 Labour Force Survey (LFS) found an alarming amount of 17.9 million working days are lost due to work-related stress, depression, or anxiety. Absence at work can lead to assignments being left pending, missed appointments and deadlines. It also results in other employees taking on the additional pressure to complete their co workers’ tasks, as well as their own. This can have a devastating impact on their employee experience and productivity; not to mention the financial costs and hindered morale of the organisation. Having an efficient wellness programme to reduce the stress of your employees can combat absenteeism. By promoting healthy behavioural habits such as healthy eating, mindfulness and daily exercise can influence your employees to live happier and healthier lives – reducing their chances of being absent from work.

Enhances employee productivity

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We mentioned earlier how reducing absenteeism through the implementation of a wellness programme can enhance productivity. A 2017 study from the University of California Riverside found that employees who successfully improved their lifestyle through a corporate wellness programme improved productivity of an average of one full workday a month. The researchers expressed that by enhancing your employees’ wellness in the workplace, you are providing them with a positive employee experience. This in return positively impacts their mood, energy, and engagement levels, resulting in higher levels of productivity and capability. In other words, ensure you have a lucrative wellness programme that takes care of your employees and reap the benefits of enhanced productivity.
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Improves Employee Retention Rates

Long-term loyalty has been deteriorating by a performance culture that expects more than it gives from its employees. A 2018 Gallup Survey reveals that work-related stress causes employees to be almost three times more likely to leave their jobs. The Work Institutes 2017 Retention Report also found that the cost of losing an average employee estimates around 33% of their annual salary. Therefore, when you lose an employee, you are not only missing out on talent and time – you are also losing out on valuable money. Simply looking after your employee’s wellness and providing them with a positive employee experience can help improve retention rates. By having a wellness programme, you will also have a competitive advantage; as employees who are engaged, valued, and supported by their employers are less likely to jump ship. Overall, promoting a wellness culture and providing your workforce with an optimal employee experience can secure your organisation with enhanced retention, engagement, productivity, and decreased absenteeism. You don’t need a huge budget for an effective wellness programme. Merely having an all-rounded platform that includes physical and mental health, meditation, and nutrition can go a long way in creating a happier and healthier workplace.

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