No matter the scale of your operations, or the industry that you are working in, as a business owner you should be aware of employee wellbeing. Employee wellbeing is not a luxury for large-scale companies like Google and it does not have to involve offering meditation pods or hiring goats to work as gardeners. Even small businesses should be actively trying to improve the levels of employee wellbeing within their organization so they can realize the many benefits it produces.
Table of Contents
What Is Employee Wellbeing
Before explaining why employee wellbeing is so important, it is first useful to outline what the term employee wellbeing actually means. Employee wellbeing is a holistic term, as it refers both to the physical safety of staff in the workplace, in relation to considerations like health and safety, as well as mental wellbeing. The term employee wellbeing encompasses everything from health (mental and physical) and happiness to job satisfaction.
Why Is Employee Wellbeing so Important?
The list below outlines just some of the reasons why employee wellbeing is so important to businesses.
Reduced Absenteeism
Issues that are related to poor employee wellbeing, such as burnout or stress can cause a business to lose money as it is more likely to experience high levels of absenteeism. In fact, studies have found that employees who regularly experience burnout at work are 63% more likely to take sick days.
Not only can poor employee wellness lead to increased absenteeism due to causes like burnout, but it can also increase the chances that your employees will get sick. Research has found that employees who spend hours at their desks are more likely to develop chronic diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure.
Many organizations have created employee wellness programs to reduce the cost of illness and absenteeism. In fact, Johnson and Johnson is believed to have saved $250 million on healthcare costs because of its wellness program.
Increased Talent Acquisition
The level of employee wellbeing within your organization does not only impact staff directly but also influences possible future talent acquisition. Before accepting a job at your company a potential employee is likely to review many different considerations such as salary, benefits and workplace culture. If your organization is known for having high levels of employee morale and worker wellbeing then you will become more attractive to a potential hire.
Employee Engagement
Inpulse.com explains how employee engagement is directly related to employee wellbeing. No matter how absorbed an employee is in their work, if employee wellbeing is not a priority for the business then an employee will never be able to make the connection to the organization that is needed for high employee engagement rates. When employee wellness is prioritized staff feel happier, they are healthier and are therefore able to be more engaged with their work.
Improved Productivity
When your staff are happier they are better able to focus on their work, as they do not have worries distracting them from the task at hand. When staff have improved physical and mental health they are also more likely to focus and work productively and will take less time off work. This means that increasing the levels of employee wellbeing within your organization can lead to improved productivity rates.
Increased Customer Satisfaction
When your members of staff are more engaged and happier at work this does not only impact your organization internally but your external relations too. Studies have found that increased levels of employee wellbeing and employee engagement have a direct impact on the rates of customer satisfaction.
Increasing the levels of employee wellbeing might at first seem like a luxury but, in reality, this is very far from the truth. High levels of employee wellbeing should be a standard for any business that wishes to operate at the highest level of productivity, attract the top talent and offer customers the very best experience possible.
Provided by UST, offering hr resources for nonprofits