Wellbeing is a “newish” word that is being used more widely and extensively in both the social and organisational arena.
But what IS wellbeing?
The term wellbeing is a blanket term that includes many facets. It includes how we feel about our personal and professional lives, our motivations and how fulfilled and satisfied we are with the different aspects of our lives.
At work, our feelings of wellbeing are affected by our relationships with co-workers and also with our bosses, by the work we do and the empowerment and influence that we feel we have at work.
An employer can really influence the level of wellbeing that the individuals experience on a day-to-day basis and this has been proven to result in a large number of benefits for the company itself. So whether you are an employee or a boss, there are very good reasons to push for improved wellbeing of the staff.
What are the benefits for an organisation that invests in its team’s wellbeing?
A number of studies have shown that companies that invest in their team’s wellbeing will have team members that are more fulfilled. This gives two key results:
Reduced staff turnover, which is the plague afflicting all modern organisations and which is very costly to all companies.
A better service for our ultimate raison d’être – the customer. Better customer experience ultimately results in a better performance for the company which will have a higher number of repeat customers.
Apart from these two key results, investing in the staff’s wellbeing also reduces absenteeism and presenteeism which is the case when employees are physically present at work but are not performing well and so, are being under-productive. We all know that the cost of this can be a complete drain on any organisation and this on its own should be incentive enough to reverse the trend in this area.
On the other end of the spectrum, companies that promote wellbeing are more likely to be creative and innovative as they foster a culture of safety where individuals feel secure and confident enough to contribute.
So what are the elements that we should strive for in an ideal work structure?
When jobs in a company are well-designed and well-structured and the management team lead well and are effective managers, this augurs well for the wellbeing of the team, giving the best outcomes for both the business and the employees.
But what are the key elements that constitute a well-designed work environment? ‘Good jobs’ that lead to higher wellbeing tend to offer team members:
o A sense of empowerment and control over their job which also gives clarity of what is expected of them
o Opportunities to use their skills and to develop further, and to vary what they do
o A supportive and safe environment, both physically and psychologically, where staff can collaborate and can have a positive relationship with their co-workers, customers and management
o A good work-life balance
o A belief that what they do and also the remuneration they get for it is fair.
As an employer what can you do to create such a positive work environment?
First of all, it is KEY to train your managers. Research shows that 70% of our motivation is influenced by our leaders, our managers. A leader who is trained to be sensitive to his or her team’s wellbeing and their requirements to achieve this wellbeing can be instrumental to improve the employees’ quality of life at work.
Then it is also important to train and support staff while empowering them to improve their own job quality. In this way, employees can make their own work more interesting and take more initiative; communication will improve and the team will develop resilience and better relations between them.
Additionally, the building blocks of wellbeing are based on having a healthy workforce. You may wish to invest in your team’s physical health with annual health screenings for your staff to ensure that your team are supported from the get go in their health and wellbeing requirements.
All this is only possible if the structures within the organisation are established in such a way that will foster trust and allow space for the development of these types of relationships. Proper training for all levels, and transparent and constructive performance management are essential for such a strategy to be successful.
In today’s work environment, where Covid-19 has changed so many goalposts, and work-related stress seems to have reached an all-time high, it is important to focus on our wellbeing and that of our team in order to survive in this “new normality”. There is no one-size-fits-all for these initiatives. The secret is to be flexible: involve your team when designing these policy changes, evaluate and see what works and be ready to adjust accordingly.
"Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness."
- Frank Tyger
One of the main influences on your quality of life is your health. Regular medical and blood screening is key for such diagnosis and we recommend annual screening tests for effective diagnosis to ensure that you can maintain your quality of life.
If you would like information contact us today on +356 21221355, 9985 2404 or send an email on info@clinipath.com.mt for more information.
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