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07 May 2019

The 5 vital components of a wellbeing programme that encourages employee self-help

All too often, employee benefits, reward schemes and wellbeing programmes are reactive. They focus on solving issues and problems that are already taking up valuable time. This is exactly the wrong way to go about looking after your people—it’s always better to be proactive and preventative. Ensuring that people deal with issues before they can take root is the best plan.

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How can you encourage those in your care to help themselves? Simply put, you should put measures in place to foster a culture of self-care in your workplace. Motivating people to take care of their own care, time and resources boosts resilience, confidence and productivity—and when people know they can help themselves in their own way, they’re ever more likely to engage with the wellbeing programme you set.

Here are a five ways to set up that culture of confident self-help in your workplace:

1. Set goals, and encourage feedback
Not just work goals—plan the achievements of your wellbeing programme. What do you want to gain from it? Include staff on the plans, and encourage them to provide feedback on how they think it’s going. You’ll receive a ton of ideas. Not all of them will be perfect. But the best way to understand how to let people care for themselves is find out how they’d like to.

2. Acceptance and understanding
A lot of people work too hard. They never switch off, and run the risk of burning out. Exhaustion is a major obstacle to productivity—let people know, as part of your wellbeing programme, that they’re encouraged to take annual leave as and when needed. That’s why we have annual leave—to rest, recover and come back ready to get things done. 

3. Technology
There’s a wealth of wellbeing tech out there that encourages people to take care into their own hands. Gamification of exercise is a great one—people engage brilliantly with even the smallest reward.

Consider supplying or subsidising wearables. If an employee chooses to use them, they can open up a world of lifestyle improvements—better sleep, healthier diet, and more exercise. These each help wellbeing greatly. Someone taking more care, eating less and moving more, will head off many potential health risks in the future. And if they’re heading those off, that means less money spent on absence and recovery.

4. Walk it like you talk it
Leaders and managers should be visibly practicing the same ideas that are suggested to staff. Regular lunch breaks (away from your desk!), regular hours, switching off at the day’s end—you can’t expect everyone else to follow these suggestions if you ignore them yourself. 

5. Share information
Emails, posters and special wellbeing days are great ways to let people know that you trust them to take care of themselves. Again, encourage feedback—responses could inspire you. 

Even the basics are great tips to share. Encourage people to drink more water, walk to work, make time for themselves, talk openly and honestly about issues.

Help people to take better, active care of themselves, and you’ll see a healthier, more successful organisation.

This article is provided by Health Assured. 

In partnership with Health Assured

Health Assured is the UK and Ireland's most trusted health and wellbeing network.

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