Why sustaining employee wellbeing is an ethical and moral responsibility
Now more than ever, businesses are offering a range of benefits to their staff, from flexible working to private healthcare. With 62% of employees identifying employee wellbeing benefits as a deciding factor when applying for a new job, businesses are having to step up to offer benefits that successfully attract and retain staff.
According to Mental Health UK’s The Burnout Report 2024, 91% of UK adults experienced high or extreme levels of pressure or stress in the past year, leading to one in five workers needing to take time off work during this period.
This highlights the crucial need for businesses to prioritise the mental wellbeing of the workforce, offering benefits that truly make a difference. Employers must carefully consider what benefits they offer their staff to support employees to thrive, ensuring they are catering to their specific needs and not simply ticking a box when it comes to benefits strategies.
Why should employers offer wellbeing benefits?
Poor individual wellbeing directly affects how employees perform in the workplace. Staff who are less resilient to stress may be less productive, and ultimately feel worse day-to-day, often taking time off work due to illness. Similarly, if the working environment is contributing to issues with employee health and wellbeing, both mental and physical, it is crucial to address these before they escalate.
We are enduring a cost-of-living crisis. Financial stress is on the rise, leading to economic challenges and issues around job insecurity which contribute negatively to employee wellbeing.
Sustaining employee wellbeing is an ethical and moral responsibility for employers. Businesses should care authentically about the wellbeing of their staff and make a conscious effort to prioritise it strategically and culturally. Business leaders need to be aware that when their employees are feeling physically and mentally well, engagement, motivation and productivity are all maximised.
In turn, long-term absence from work is avoided and job satisfaction is enhanced, leading to higher retention. Overall, providing wellbeing support helps foster a supportive workplace culture.
Strategies for enhancing employee wellbeing
Providing benefits in the form of counselling, stress management, support groups and paid leave can also support an employee’s mental and emotional health. Similarly, benefits that promote physical health, such as gym memberships or support to stop smoking, can have a knock-on effect, positively influencing an employee’s overall mental wellbeing.
Initiatives that also cater to an employee’s finances, such as offering financial advice and budget planning, also contribute to an employee’s overall mental wellness.
Employers looking to sustainably and effectively invest in the mental wellbeing of their workforce can look to bespoke employee assistance programmes (EAPs), tailored to the specific wellbeing needs of their staff. Quality EAPs provide fast access to GP services to address health issues, as well as financial support to minimise financial worries.
Services that cater directly to employee mental health include therapy and counselling options, a confidential, 24/7 helpline, referrals to specialists when necessary, mental health first-aid training and training for line managers, as well as awareness activities and materials. EAPs allow employees to get the best possible care, as quickly as possible, to help facilitate an environment where employers put employee health and wellbeing first.
Listening to employee needs
Employers should undertake a tailored, ‘you said, we did approach’ to providing an effective and considered employee wellbeing strategy, as opposed to simply ticking a box. This involves talking to employees, listening to their requirements and implementing services that target the specific areas of wellbeing that need to be addressed, as opposed to implementing ‘one-size-fits-all’ schemes and strategies.
Also, it’s important that employers ensure that the workforce is aware of the wellbeing services that the business provides to ensure effective use of the scheme by all employees that need the support.
By offering mental wellbeing services that address issues before they escalate, organisations can avoid long-term consequences, be it physical, financial or psychological – all of which affect overall wellbeing and work performance.
