How to create engaging wellbeing initiatives that positively impact employees’ long-term health

Covid-19 has been the biggest challenge for employee health in decades and has created a cocktail of pressures for businesses and employees.

The stresses of homeworking, digital fatigue from prolonged remote working and financial pressures has led many of us to make poorer lifestyle choices - selecting unhealthy foods, increasing our alcohol intake, and exercising and sleeping less.

While the short-term health implications of these choices may be increased anxiety and stress, in the longer term, they could lead to more serious issues and even contribute to cancers and cardiovascular conditions.

Unsurprisingly, employee wellbeing is, therefore, a top priority for many companies this year.

The CIPD’s Health and Wellbeing at Work report 2021 highlights that three quarters of senior leaders (75%) have employee wellbeing on their agenda, up from 61% last year, and two-thirds (67%) of companies have line managers engaged with the importance of wellbeing, up from 58% last year.

The report also found most organisations are taking additional measures to support employee health and wellbeing in response to Covid-19, focusing on mental health, tailoring support to individuals’ needs and providing support for staff working from home.

But for wellbeing initiatives to have a long-lasting impact on the health of any workforce, time and money is needed to drive sustained engagement and behavioural change.

Time for wellbeing

People need time to focus on wellbeing during the day and employers need to recognise this. Giving staff space for wellbeing, while also ensuring they remain productive is a tricky balancing act, but it’s a vital ingredient to drive both better personal and business outcomes.

It’s about creating the right culture, the right management style to allow for space in the working day so people can take time for themselves. Allowing employees to take a break and re-energise helps them to lead healthier lives, take more exercise, make healthier food choices, reduce stress and, ultimately, make them more productive.

The first step is for companies to assess their culture and working practices, identify how much time to allocate for wellbeing and promote how people can take time away for themselves. Leaders also need to lead by example and demonstrate that it’s integral to the culture by taking time out of the day for their own wellbeing, such as “non-meeting” time.

Create a fund, and let employees choose

Creating engaging and sustainable employee wellbeing initiatives also requires money. Pre-Covid-19, we saw more companies dabbling in wellbeing - launching mindfulness apps or doing mental health webinars, but the take-up of such initiatives was oftenlow. The pay-off for employees simply wasn’t high enough.

To drive sustainable engagement, it requires a cohesive and strategic approach that incentivises and rewards people for engaging in different lifestyle choices.

One effective solution is a wellbeing fund – a bit like an expense account with a pot of money allocated for each employee to focus on their individual wellbeing needs.

A wellbeing fund give employees control over the initiatives that they wish to engage with, rather than restricting their options to the ones an employer may feel appeal to the ’majority’.

This could include fitness apps, membership of local clubs or classes, marathon entries or mental wellbeing support, including coaching sessions for stress management or sleep therapy. Alternatively, they could use it for financial wellbeing, including financial advice sessions or debt counselling. The point being that the choice is in the hands of employees.

Such schemes don’t have to cost the earth – many companies tend to look at the equivalent cost of a typical gym membership. Companies can use local service providers that can help their staff achieve their goals and obtain discounts that makes the funding goes further. What’s important here is that the scheme is promoted and celebrated as a key part of the culture and embraced by senior leaders and managers.

Use feedback to drive engagement

To drive engagement, get regular feedback from employees through surveys and try to measure outcomes, using the likes of digital health risk assessments (questionnaires). And remember, it’s a continuous process. Think about how you are engaging people at least once a quarter and if any new initiatives are needed to prevent potential drop-offs.

Also, don’t overlook the wellbeing initiatives already in place that might not be promoted well or used enough. Better communication and promotion could change this.

This year, as companies look to address their wellbeing challenges, we suggest there are two critical elements that will create a step change in their employee wellbeing. The first is investment but, secondly, and just as important, is for companies to give people the time and space and a clear signal that it’s not just ok to take time out for wellbeing, it is essential.

Author is Matthew Gregson, executive director at Howden Employee Benefits & Wellbeing.

This article is provided by Howden Employee Benefits & Wellbeing.