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05 Aug 2019

The rise and integration of wellbeing tech: how to prepare for the wellbeing programme of tomorrow

The future of wellbeing will be holistic, requiring a balance between mental, physical and financial wellness initiatives built seamlessly into the overall employee experience. The rise and integration of wellbeing tech into our day-to-day life is already beginning, and this will become more and more crucial to keeping employee health in check as the UK workforce becomes more remote and dispersed. Finding the balance between what employees want, outcomes employers need and what the technology is capable of will become crucial.

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Mental wellbeing

To look after the overall wellbeing of your employees, you must ensure that their positive mental state is supported. After all, without good mental health some people struggle to complete seemingly mundane tasks like making a meal, filling in forms and even socialising, let alone going to the gym to improve their physical health or thinking about their mortgage and debt management.

As an employer, there are so many things you can do to encourage positive employee mental wellbeing, which can not only improve morale but hopefully be a catalyst to increased productivity and overall performance. Common strategies include having an employee assistance programme (EAP), offering counselling for financial worries, having on-site mental health first aiders or even mandatory mental health training for line managers.

There are plenty of organisations that can provide onsite workshops, including Health Assured who provide workshops for employers and managers on mental health awareness. Alternatively, organisations like videoDoc provide mental health workshops for managers, which in turn, aims to reduce the stigma of talking about mental health at work.

Physical wellbeing

Physical wellbeing is intrinsically linked to mental wellbeing, as when you exercise endorphins are released into your body and ultimately contribute to increased happiness levels. Exercise is also known to help reduce stress levels, provide a sense of achievement and encourages socialising with like-minded people, all of which contributes to better overall wellbeing.

With remote workforces, it can be increasingly difficult to encourage, reward or monitor the physical health improvements of your employees, but there are ways to achieve this, whether they work in an office, on the road or somewhere else. Anything from step challenges, team incentives and recognition for increased physical activity can encourage better employee health, while also providing healthy competition for staff.

Financial wellbeing

When it comes to financial wellbeing, employees are much more reluctant to share struggles with managers or employers. Our research shows that only 23% of employees feel comfortable talking about their finances with their employer, so managers often struggle to inform employees without being seen as patronising and without prejudice. This can be challenging, but there are many ways to help your employees while still remaining respectful.

A fair value loan initiative  or salary sacrifice scheme can be a small perk to some people, but can mean the world to others who may need that little extra help. Providing popular discounts to your employees is also helpful, as this gives them the ability to save on their everyday tasks while keeping them engaged at the same time.

Although all aspects of the wellbeing triangle are catered for, to some extent, by employers today – the wellbeing programme of tomorrow will have to ensure that new challenges and struggles faced by employees are addressed.

This article is provided by Personal Group.

In partnership with Personal Group

Personal Group provides the latest employee benefits and wellbeing products.

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