22 Sep 2020

Five ways that purposeful organisations can drive employee wellbeing and engagement

Now, more than ever, good health and wellbeing is key to employee engagement and organisational performance. Promoting wellbeing has a number of benefits; it can help prevent stress, build connections between employees, cultivate a positive work environment, and create a thriving workforce. However, our latest health and wellbeing at work report with the CIPD found that although two-fifths of businesses have a wellbeing strategy that supports their wider organisation strategy (44%, up from 40% in 2019), a similar proportion are still much more reactive than proactive (41%, down from 44% in 2019).

A case study of Simplyhealth, as an organisation, focussing on how it is actioning organisational purpose will be presented by Sian Evans, head of leadership and learning, and Camilla Brooke, head of client relationships, both from Simplyhealth, at the Employee Wellbeing Congress on 23rd September at 11.45.

So why not take a look at our top five suggestions to help build a strategy which drives lasting employee wellbeing and engagement in your organisation:

1. Regularly talk about wellbeing

Make sure employee wellbeing is part of your organisation’s agenda by talking about it frequently. Strive to make it part of everyday conversation by utilising intranet and staff communications. For example, ‘Wellbeing Weekly’ is a weekly e-newsletter distributed to Simplyhealth staff with a round-up of wellbeing news and all the activities available to employees, such as webinars, competitions, financial support, and reminders about other support services such as employee assistance programmes (EAPs), mental health first aiders, and online GP and physio. This weekly communication is a friendly reminder of the support available to employees, ensures wellbeing is part of day-to-day culture, and encourages engagement.

2. Nurture social connections

Although workforces may be physically distant at present, you can still encourage your employees to remain connected in other ways. Willis Towers Watson’s 2019/20 Global Benefits Attitudes Survey found that employees with strong social connections are healthier and more likely to exercise frequently, more engaged with their job, and suffer fewer days lost at work due to absence and presenteeism. Fostering social connections among employees has a positive impact on employee wellbeing and engagement, so why not encourage this by setting up a private group on Facebook, or a group chat on Zoom, to inspire connections between colleagues. It can be used as a hub for activities; whether you’re hosting a steps challenge, launching a wellbeing competition, or asking employees to share their hobbies and interests.

3. Listen to your employees

To drive employee wellbeing and engagement, you need to be willing to find out what is and isn’t working. And this isn’t just a one-time event. It’s a constant process of reaching out to your employees, taking time to review the feedback, implementing any changes, and letting everyone know what’s been improved. Think about what goals and objectives your organisation wants to achieve. Strategies that you can implement include:

new starter surveys and exit interviews
pulse surveys that are short and at regular intervals so managers can gauge employees’ feelings and changes
one-on-one discussions with management to give employees a chance to talk directly to a manager and openly discuss any topic.

Take the time to reassure your employees that they are heard, and respond to their suggestions in a timely way.

4. Support wellbeing beyond the workplace

Many employees have found themselves working longer hours due to the shift in office environments. Remote working has blurred the line between work life and personal life, so it’s important that you are supporting your employees beyond the workplace. Our research with the CIPD found there has been a gradual increase in organisations who include counselling services and EAPs among their wellbeing benefits, but many are less inclined to promote good lifestyle choices (for example diet, smoking cessation) or support financial wellbeing.

What gaps are there in your current wellbeing strategy? For example, could you introduce more flexible working hours, encourage employees to take part in exercise in their spare time, or launch an employee discount scheme, in order to take a more holistic approach.

5. Promote employee recognition

Recognising employees for their contributions, achievements or desired behaviours is a great way to drive engagement and improve retention. However, employee recognition comes in many forms and everyone has their own preference or style when it comes to giving and receiving appreciation. Get a clearer picture of the primary language of appreciation (in a work setting) of every individual. Then, recognise them accordingly. For example, a hand-written note, giving a ‘shout out’ on the intranet, peer-to-peer recognition, or a simple every day thank-you can be just as effective as bigger gestures, such as monetary rewards and bonuses.

This article is provided by Simplyhealth.