23 May 2019

How social wellbeing at work can tackle employees’ feelings of ‘missing out’ on life

Before we dive head first into the subject of social wellbeing, take moment and think about the amount of time you spend working or in your place at work.

On average, people in the UK spend around 34 hours a week working – that equates to in-excess of over 3,500 days of work in their lifetime. And that’s even before considering things like overtime, answering emails and calls outside of work hours and commuting.

In fact, when it comes to working above and beyond normal hours, we’ll give up over 200 of our own days to spend time doing extra work. 200 days… Just imagine what you could do with 200 days of free time…

The one thing money can't buy
The thing about all this time is that whilst longer hours and overtime (if you’re being paid for it, of course) might equate to more money in the bank account, it also means that precious time to spend with friends, family or simply switched off from the world of work become fewer and fewer.

This lack of free time doesn’t just mean you miss out on rest relaxation and fun, either.

Spending more time in a work environment can also lead to a loss of social wellbeing; that sense of belonging and those close relationships you build over time with friends and family. And it shouldn’t be underestimated either; it’s a fundamental need of every human being – even you, dear reader. In fact, in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, it sits right above the need to be safe.

So, it’s clear that social wellbeing isn’t just a fad and plays an important role in everyone’s lives. But, with the world of work impacting on people’s family and social lives more than ever, workers are potentially losing the chance to build or develop their social wellbeing.

This is where every employer needs to step up their social wellbeing responsibilities.

A foundation of positive workplace wellbeing
With workplace wellbeing now being recognised by many as a key component of any successful business, incorporating good social wellbeing practice into an overarching health and wellbeing strategy should be a priority for every employer.

Whilst the demands of a role or a business may always require that workers spend some time beyond their contracted hours, having a strong social wellbeing strategy can help offset that feeling of ‘missing out’ on life.

A good workplace social wellbeing strategy can help build those all-important close relationships that people look for outside the workplace. When people build good relationships with their co-workers, you’ll have more of a chance of building that all-important positive workplace culture.

People working together towards a shared goal and supporting each other along the way? Now that’s a truly valuable commodity you really can’t buy…

So, where to start? Here are those all-important key considerations to, well, consider:

Embrace the power of social
A workplace social platform or network can provide an effective way for your staff to engage with one-another and also provide a space where ideas can be shared, and help provided. It’ll also make it easier for them to get to know each other a little better and share insights into their lives outside of work, too.
Celebrate personal milestones
With more and more workers shifting jobs more often, if someone has stuck with your business though the years, their loyalty is something to celebrate and share!
And personal achievements
A great workplace doesn’t just acknowledge the great work employees do. If your workers have achieved something outside of work (completed a marathon or ticked an ambition off the metaphorical bucket list for example) then always be sure to acknowledge it!
Have regular informal meetings
No, we’re not talking about meetings for the sake of them! Having regular team meetings or team activities outside of work gives the opportunity for you to re-connect employees to your organisations core vision, values and goals. Plus, foster a sense of belonging and community, too.
Acknowledge diversity
All your employees will have different backgrounds and beliefs. Be sure to promote all aspects of diversity so you can create a company culture of acceptance. It can also give your workers the opportunity for their opinions to be heard and valued.
Get to know the community
Finally, look to build a relationship with the local community. This can broaden the scope of social connectedness outside the workplace and involve your employees and their family members, benefiting everyone!

This article is provided by Sodexo.

If you'd like to further develop your knowledge about employee wellbeing, a day at the Employee Wellbeing Congress on 20 June in London, is the essential event for you.