Employee wellbeing has always been important – but now, companies are realising just how important. Not only can it have huge impacts on productivity within the workplace, but also employee retention, absenteeism levels and overall satisfaction.A few years ago, pre-COVID, workplace wellness was only visible in 10% of workplaces in the US – and even less in Australia. Yet the latest reports to emerge are signalling that workplace wellness is now present in more than 52% of US workplaces, and at an incredible 56% in Australian workplaces.But how many of these companies will keep up the focus as we come out of the COVID era and return to normal functioning? McKinsey research suggests that the focus on wellness – and so the benefits that come from that focus – might drop as the world focuses on getting back to ‘normal’ operations. This could result in a negative impact on workers' mental health.So, let’s dive in. What is workplace wellness? Why do we want it and how do we get it?

What is workplace wellness?

It’s simply the measure of the positive mental health and wellbeing of a business’ employees. But to achieve this, businesses have to invest in programs and proactive solutions to provide or support employee wellbeing. Generally these focus on four areas:

• Emotional support
• A sense of purpose
• Financial health
• Meaningful connections

With the rise of remote working, as well as the new lens with which we have been examining our lives post-pandemic, employees now have greater concern for their own wellbeing. They’re craving better connections and purpose in their careers. They want more flexibility, a better work-life balance and more purpose in their day-to-day work lives.

Why is workplace wellness important?

Clearly, workplace wellbeing is important not only for employees but also employers. It can help staff to feel heard, seen and valued, as well as provide benefits like more sustained levels of engagement, higher performance, increased mental and physical health, and lower medical costs and absenteeism.Needless to say, if employees are feeling healthy, happy and driven (as opposed to stressed, sick or lacking motivation) they will be armed with the right tools to thrive in the workplace.This has many flow-on effects for businesses. They’ll benefit from fewer sick days (less absenteeism) and employees who are loyal tend to stick around, leading to better retention. They’ll also see increased efficiency from employees at work and a more positive work culture overall.This is particularly advantageous for employers in regional Australia, who might already find it tricky to attract and retain skilled, reliable workers. By focusing on workplace wellness, companies can embrace this as their point of difference and win the loyalty of valued workers.

How to implement workplace wellness

There are many different approaches you could take to instill workplace wellness in the culture of your business. All it takes is asking – and truly listening to – what your employees want and need. Implement those solutions as much as you can. But be sure to find a way to regularly measure their ongoing satisfaction. This might be through surveys, feedback forms or group sessions.Some ideas for promoting workplace wellness in your business include:

• Communicate - Clearly communicate the importance that the company places on its employees’ wellbeing. Leaders will need to model the desired behaviours to convey that employees can do the same.
• Be flexible - Accommodate the needs of your workers, e.g. flexible start/end times for those who care for children, more remote working opportunities to allow greater work/life balance for those with long commutes and sufficient time off when required.
• Support - Provide access to mindset coaches, psychologists or other mental health experts. Or put together a toolkit of mental health resources to help staff overcome challenges, work well together and thrive in the workplace.
• Develop - Offer opportunities for additional career and personal development training to those who want them. Schedule regular huddles to check in with staff to gain an understanding of their professional and life goals.
• Connect - Connect with your employees from the very beginning with a positive and inclusive onboarding process. Head here for extra advice about onboarding remote employees.
• Fair pay - Ensure that your employees are paid fairly for their contributions. Financial dissatisfaction negatively impacts workers’ wellbeing and will not help your retention goals.
• Socialise - Establish opportunities for employees to socialise and connect. That could be a great lunchroom that workers actually want to spend time in, regular after-work drinks or a social convenor to organise employee bonding activities.
• Manage stress - Sensitively managing work-related stress in your employees will give you happier, healthier employees.
• Have difficult conversations - Help prepare your managers for difficult conversations in the workplace and better support communication overall.
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Workplace wellness is an important part of all Australian businesses. Making this a priority in your business will help you have a stronger team, and achieve better results overall.

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