Top 12 Best initiatives to improve employee wellbeing
Imagine a workplace where employees are energised, motivated, and genuinely happy to be part of the team. Integrating innovative wellbeing activities into your team culture can turn this vision into reality!
This article will explore critical areas of employee wellbeing—from fostering health and building social connections to promoting financial stability and creating a supportive work environment.
What is employee wellbeing?
Employee wellbeing refers to individuals’ overall health and happiness within a workplace. It refers to:
- Physical health
- Mental health
- Emotional health
- Social health.
Creating a supportive environment that addresses these aspects is essential for enabling employees to thrive.
The importance of employee wellbeing in the workforce is increasingly recognised. Prioritising wellbeing leads to higher employee engagement, productivity, and job satisfaction. Research has shown that employees feel valued and supported and are motivated and committed to their work, positively impacting organisational performance.
A Report from Deloitte highlighted that poor mental health alone costs employers approximately £51 billion annually due to loss of productivity, increased absenteeism, and staff turnover. Companies that invest in wellbeing programs can see significant financial returns.
Good to know!
According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, for every £1 invested in mental health initiatives, employers expect an average return of £5 through reduced absenteeism and increased productivity.
Ways to improve employee wellbeing: 9 key areas
Employee wellbeing is important to building a motivated, productive and loyal team as you focus on these nine key areas that you can use within your business to foster a healthier, more supportive work environment where your team can feel valued within their workplace.
1. Health
Fostering physical and mental health is crucial for maintaining productivity and positive morale. Employees who feel supported in their health are often more engaged and focused, reducing absenteeism and improving overall workplace satisfaction.
Ways to improve employee health:
- Step challenge app through the Teamupp app
- Healthy snack options in break rooms
- Standing desks and ergonomic workspace setups
- Subsidies for fitness classes or in-office yoga sessions
2. Organisational values
A strong alignment between employees and the organisation’s core values helps to create a sense of purpose and belonging. Reinforcing these values regularly can lead to higher motivation, teamwork, and trust across the organisation.
Ways to strengthen organisational values:
- Reinforce values in team meetings and training sessions
- Celebrate employees who demonstrate core values in their work
- Encourage open discussions on how values shape daily tasks and decisions
3. Work-life harmony
Helping employees achieve work-life harmony can prevent burnout and improve long-term job satisfaction. When personal and professional boundaries are respected, your employees feel supported and are more likely to maintain high productivity.
Ways to encourage work-life harmony:
- Offer flexible work hours and remote work options
- Discourage after-hours emails or calls to respect boundaries
- Foster a culture with your team that actively promotes personal time and self-care
4. Social connections
Positive social connections at work foster collaboration, increase trust and reduce feelings of isolation. Encouraging team bonding and informal interactions can create a more cohesive and supportive work environment.
5. Employee recognition
Regularly recognising employee contributions is a powerful motivator, enhancing morale and increasing organisational commitment. Showing appreciation for hard work across your team can reinforce positive behaviours and build loyalty.
Ways to recognise employees:
- Implement a recognition program that celebrates achievements and contributions
- Celebrate work anniversaries and critical milestones across your team
- Publicly acknowledge hard work and successes during team meetings
6. Professional development
Offering continuous learning and growth opportunities keeps employees motivated and engaged. Supporting professional development encourages employees to stay with the company longer and continuously improve their skills.
Ways to promote professional development:
- Provide access to online courses, workshops, or industry conferences
- Create mentorship or coaching programs to foster skill growth
- Encourage attendance at relevant training sessions and events
7. Healthy lifestyle habits
Promoting healthy lifestyle choices helps employees manage stress and stay energised. Encouraging wellness habits can improve focus and reduce long-term health issues.
Ways to support healthy habits:
- Offer healthy snack options and discounts on nutritious meals
- Share resources and tips on nutrition, exercise, and workplace wellness
- Host wellness challenges like hydration goals, daily steps, or meditation practices
8. Financial health
Supporting employees’ financial wellbeing can reduce stress, allowing them to focus better. Financial stability improves mental health, which translates to increased productivity.
Ways to support financial health:
- Provide access to financial counselling and budgeting workshops
- Offer resources on savings, debt management, and retirement planning
- Implement flexible benefits with options for financial wellness tools
9. Safety & Security
Creating a safe and secure environment is essential for employee trust and comfort, especially with hybrid and remote work. Proactively addressing safety concerns demonstrates that the organisation values employee wellbeing.
Ways to enhance safety and security:
- Conduct regular safety training and updates on workplace protocols
- Provide online safety resources, especially for remote workers
- Offer ergonomic assessments to improve workstations and prevent strain
Our top 12 favourite actions to improve staff wellbeing
Prioritising staff wellbeing helps create a more positive, productive workplace. Here are twelve effective ways to support your team’s physical, mental, and emotional health.
1. Fitness Challenges
Fitness challenges are an engaging way to encourage employees to stay active. Teamupp’s app makes it easy to organise step challenges, create teams, and track progress, motivating staff to be active while building camaraderie.
Cost: The cost varies depending on the app subscription; Teamupp offers several pricing options, from a one-shot challenge to a monthly subscription, starting from £0,5 per employee.
Action Plan: Set up the Teamupp app, create teams, and launch a monthly step challenge with small incentives for top participants.
2. Healthy Snack Options
Healthy snacks in the workplace encourage better eating habits, boost energy, and show employees you care about their wellbeing.
Cost: Approximately £80–£250 per month, depending on the office size and snack selection.
Action Plan: Stock break rooms with healthy snacks such as fruit, nuts, and yoghurt, and rotate options monthly for variety.
3. Flexible work hours
Flexible work hours give employees control over their schedules, reducing stress and enhancing work-life balance.
Cost: Minimal, though policy adjustments may be required.
Action Plan: Allow employees to choose their start and finish times within a set range (e.g., 8 AM–6 PM) and encourage managers to respect individual schedules.
4. Mindfulness breaks
Encouraging short mindfulness breaks helps employees manage stress and improve focus throughout the day.
Cost: Free or minimal if using a mindfulness app (approximately £8 per employee per month).
Action Plan: Set aside a few minutes daily for mindfulness exercises or offer access to apps such as Headspace or Calm.
5. Walking meetings
Walking meetings offer a refreshing change from indoor settings. They allow employees to get some fresh air and stretch while brainstorming.
Cost: Free.
Action Plan: Schedule shorter, one-on-one meetings as walking meetings when possible and encourage participants to use voice memos for notes.
6. Team building activities
Team-building activities help employees build relationships, boosting morale and collaboration across teams.
Cost: It varies, ranging from free, such as group games, to £400+ for organised events.
Action Plan: To encourage bonding and teamwork, host regular team-building activities, such as monthly quiz sessions or biannual outings. Teamupp can also help you boost team’s bonds through challenges and quizzes.
7. Gratitude journals
Encouraging employees to keep gratitude journals promotes a positive mindset, enhancing job satisfaction and mental wellbeing.
Cost: Approximately £4–£8 per journal, or free if digital.
Action Plan: Provide gratitude journals or suggest digital options; set aside time each week for employees to note things they’re grateful for.
8. Open-door policy
An open-door policy fosters trust, transparency, and open communication between employees and management.
Cost: Free.
Action Plan: Encourage managers to adopt an open-door approach, making themselves available for discussions and regularly reminding employees they can come forward with concerns.
9. Wellness resources
Providing wellness resources, such as access to health information, fitness guides, or financial advice, supports holistic employee wellbeing.
Cost: This varies depending on resources; wellness programmes may cost between £ 8 and £40 per employee monthly.
Action Plan: Offer resources through a shared platform covering mental health, nutrition, and financial wellness topics and remind employees they are available.
10. Recognition programs
Recognition programmes boost morale by acknowledging employee contributions and making staff feel valued and appreciated.
Cost: £40–£150 per month, depending on incentives offered.
Action Plan: Implement a recognition programme with regular awards such as employee of the month and encourage managers to celebrate accomplishments in team meetings.
11. Ergonomic workspace support
Providing ergonomic support, such as adjustable desks and chairs, enhances comfort and productivity and reduces the risk of workplace strain.
Cost: Approximately £150–£400 per employee.
Action Plan: Offer ergonomic assessments and adjustable equipment for employees, particularly those who spend extended hours at their desks.
12. Professional development budget
Investing in professional development supports employees’ growth and can significantly improve job satisfaction and engagement.
Cost: Approximately £400–£800 per employee annually.
Action Plan: Allocate a professional development budget for each employee and encourage them to use it for courses, workshops, or conferences that align with their goals.
How to actively engage in promoting employee wellbeing?
Promoting employee wellbeing isn’t just about implementing wellness initiatives; it involves actively engaging in practices that foster a supportive, balanced, and healthy workplace environment.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on improving wellbeing at work and ensuring your team feels supported, valued, and motivated.
Step 1: Assess Current Wellbeing Needs
To improve staff wellbeing effectively, begin by understanding your employees’ needs. Conduct surveys, host focus groups, or hold one-on-one meetings to gather insights on areas they feel require improvement. This step will help you tailor strategies to address their priorities, whether stress management, work-life balance, or professional growth.
Step 2: Set Clear Goals and Define Success
Establish specific, measurable goals for your ways to improve employee wellbeing initiatives. These include increasing employee engagement scores, reducing absenteeism, or enhancing job satisfaction. Defining what success looks like will help you track the impact of each wellbeing initiative and adjust as needed.
Step 3: Design Wellbeing Initiatives
With goals in place, design initiatives that directly address the needs identified in Step 1. Common ways to improve wellbeing at work include:
- Introducing flexible working hours or hybrid work options for better work-life balance.
- Providing wellness resources like fitness memberships, mental health support, and ergonomic assessments.
- Offering healthy snacks, on-site exercise classes, or mindfulness sessions.
Step 4: Secure Leadership Support
For your wellbeing efforts to succeed, gaining leadership buy-in is essential. Present the benefits of these initiatives to senior management, highlighting the link between employee wellbeing and improved productivity, engagement, and retention. Leadership support is critical in driving a culture that values and actively improves wellbeing at work.
Step 5: Communicate and Educate
Promote awareness by regularly communicating the importance of wellbeing initiatives to your employees. Use newsletters, team meetings, or a dedicated wellness portal to keep them informed. Educate managers and team leaders on actively supporting ways to improve staff wellbeing, such as setting reasonable expectations and promoting a culture that values work-life harmony.
Step 6: Create a Supportive Environment
Foster a positive, inclusive culture where employees feel safe discussing their wellbeing needs. Encourage team-building activities, provide an open-door policy for feedback, and ensure that wellbeing resources are easily accessible. A supportive environment is essential in helping employees feel empowered to take part in initiatives designed to improve wellbeing at work.
Step 7: Monitor and Evaluate Progress
Regularly track the impact of your wellbeing initiatives to see what’s working and where there’s room for improvement. Use surveys, feedback sessions, or KPI tracking to gather data on engagement, satisfaction, and productivity changes. Adjust your strategy based on this feedback to continuously improve employee wellbeing.
Step 8: Recognise and Reward Participation
Recognise employees who actively engage in wellbeing activities and reward teams that promote a supportive environment. Recognition and rewards can reinforce the importance of wellbeing in your organisation and motivate others to participate in ways to improve employee wellbeing.
Step 9: Keep Wellbeing a Continuous Priority
Wellbeing is an ongoing commitment, not a one-time initiative. Regularly update your programs to reflect new trends, employee needs, and feedback. Continuous engagement in wellbeing activities ensures long-term benefits and a thriving workplace culture.
Take advantage of the opportunity to enhance your team’s wellbeing among these best initiatives. Join Teamupp today and unlock the full potential of your workforce to improve your employee wellbeing!
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