At the forefront of the modern workplace is the consideration of employee wellbeing, and, although this can be a complex area, implementing positive and inclusive wellbeing policies can enhance the business for employees, business owners and clients alike.

In busy, stressful and demanding work environments, it can be easy to let the standards of wellbeing slip in the office. It is key to a successful workforce to boost the value of physical and mental wellbeing through the adoption or improvement of existing wellbeing policies to align with the needs of workplace staff.

And with just one in four UK businesses having wellbeing programmes, it is more important than ever to introduce this universally. The positive impact of implementing wellbeing policies are endless and cause positive impact to many areas of your business, in many different forms.

 

Including but not limited to:

1. Increased productivity and motivation

Through the introduction of wellbeing policies and programmes, employees will have ongoing support to help them work through stressful situations, increasing productivity and in turn, motivating staff to deliver results.

2. Higher staff retention and lower staff turnover

Having a workforce that feel valued, supported and motivated to perform well will encourage longevity within the team. This means you develop a talented, enthusiastic workforce that you can retain, rather than investing in ongoing recruitment and training costs.

3. Reduced sickness absence

Implementing wellbeing policies to support physical and mental health concerns, means that time taken off due to sickness will be lower and you will have a happier workforce. Supporting employees facing mental health challenges can be complex, but important to retaining talented and hard-working staff. Work should not be placing additional stress on staff, rather it should be a place you want to go.

4. Reduced costs

Spending money on health promotion strategies, such as offering gym memberships, can keep more people in work, rather than on sickness absence. Wellbeing policies that support staff will ensure that your team are in the office and enhancing the business offer.

5. Higher job satisfaction

By having employees that feel valued and appreciated, you will also have employees that have high job satisfaction and are likely to recommend their employer or their services. According to Investors in People, 80 per cent of people said they would feel more positive towards their employer if they offered better wellbeing benefits.

For business owners and senior staff, understanding the needs of their employees is of paramount importance to delivering successful and well executed wellbeing policies. Accommodating this as a business leader involves creating an inclusive environment for all and pinpointing the best ways to develop workplace benefits to align with the day-to-day demands of the business.

 

This process can include thinking about:

1. Why you want to implement specific wellbeing policies?

It is fundamental to delivering a successful wellbeing policy to recognise and highlight why you want to have these policies in place. Having a clear vision for how you see this benefiting your workforce and setting clear targets to achieve this will ensure that you implement the right plethora of benefits, for the right reasons.

2. Involving the wider team in implementing policies

Including the whole team in the ideas process for creating wellbeing policies can help you, as a business leader, to know exactly how your workforce feel and what they want to achieve in the long term. This will involve developing a strategy, assigning responsibilities and managing office expectations. Personalising the process is much more genuine and will yield better results.

3. Creating a clear and coherent plan

Setting clear guidelines and creating a plan of action will help to ensure that communication is consistent, and that all policies are delivered in a cost-efficient and beneficial way for all. This will ensure that all employees understand the purpose of the policies and open discussions can take place between senior and junior staff.

4. How to put the policies in place

Making sure that all of your employees are aware of the policies you are implementing will ensure that they are followed, and all members of the team can benefit from them. It may be that they are phased in or trialled in order to address any issues, conflicts or initial challenges that may arise.

5. Evaluating and assessing the effects

Setting aims and goals before the introduction of wellbeing policies will allow both business leaders and the wider team to reflect on the boost the policies have made to their overall productivity and business needs. Having regular one-to-ones and team meetings will ensure that good communication is maintained, and feedback is gathered regularly, enhancing the organisation and overall employee working experience for all parties.