With each passing day, the dynamics of the corporate world have been changing and evolving at a rapid rate. This has been posing considerable challenges for the corporate employees. It demands them to constantly change and update themselves in order to stay relevant and stay in the competition for success. This can lead to extreme work stress and can cause the person to feel restless and anxious, resulting in a decrease in their ability to perform well. This makes it mandatory to maintain health and wellbeing at work. Conducting a health and wellbeing program in an organization can have multiple benefits for both the employees and the employers.
Here are some of the benefits that can be obtained from a wellbeing program at the workplace:-
- Enhanced employee productivity:- A corporate wellbeing program has a direct impact on the productivity levels of the employees. Such wellbeing programs aim to improve the mental, physical and emotional health of the employees. An individual who goes through a process that improves their mental, emotional and physical health are more likely to have a better and healthier life and be more relaxed. This enables them to focus more on their work thereby enhancing their performance quality and increasing their productivity levels. This is one of the most advantageous outcomes of workplace wellbeing programs.
- Improved employee health:- One of the primary benefits of corporate wellbeing programs is improved employee health. A wellness program has a number of categories or even tasks for the employees, which helps them to adopt a healthier lifestyle gradually. This can include exercises that help to maintain their fitness or even dietary changes to improve their eating habits. Corporate wellbeing programs can help employees get rid of harmful addictions such as smoking or alcohol consumption. It can also help them to take steps to reduce junk eating habits. While these can help to improve physical health, guided practice of meditation and mindfulness can improve their mental health and help them deal with work stress and anxiety in a more efficient way. Programs that ensure wellbeing at the workplace not only enable the employees to find work-life balance but also provide employers with a healthier workforce.
- Reduced healthcare cost:- Corporate wellbeing programs can play a vital role in considerably reducing the healthcare cost of both the employees and the employers. The employees who become a part of a health and wellbeing program generally tend to become healthier individuals, thereby reducing chances of falling sick, hospitalization or injuries at the workplace. Healthier employees do not need frequent doctor visits, which reduces their healthcare expenses, thereby providing financial relief to their organization by creating chances for lesser insurance premiums.
- Improved engagement and attendance of employees:- As the workplace wellbeing programs address very common health issues and help the employees overcome them, the rate of absenteeism due to such health concerns gradually decreases. Also, wellness programs create a sense of community and shared purpose among employees. Employees are likely to feel more connected and committed to their organisation. This increases their engagement, and more engaged employees provide better outcomes and benefit the company. When employees feel they are being cared for and supported by their employers, they feel more motivated and strive to give their best. The workplace wellbeing programs tend to foster interactions among employees, which also helps in team building and better teamwork, which is essential for any organization's growth and success.
- Increase in attraction and retention of top talents – Organisations that conduct health and wellbeing programs for their employees become more promising to job seekers and are likely to attract the top talents. An organization that is concerned about the wellbeing of its employees and takes measures to provide them with a happy and healthy work-life certainly are gifted with loyal and committed employees, thereby increasing the organization’s chance to retain the acquired top talents. A healthy and positive work culture is certainly a desire of every employee. It helps to boost the creativity and innovation of the employees.
While these are some of the very promising benefits of workplace wellbeing some steps can be taken to improve mental health in the workplace by the employees themselves. Some of these are:-
- Identifying and removing causes of workplace stress – A number of factors can lead to workplace stress, such as increased workload, tight deadlines or even an unhealthy and negative working environment. It is important to identify the main trigger that causes stress and take steps to remove or considerably reduce this cause.
- Setting boundaries for yourself – In the workplace, it is imperative to set boundaries for oneself. This protects a person from unwanted trouble or stress and helps to maintain their mental peace. Setting a boundary can help to reduce burnout and save both time and energy considerably. This lets an employee focus on their work more and perform better.
- Seeking professional help – Worklife stress can be a severe cause of anxiety or even depression in many individuals. If you experience severe disturbance that disturbs your mental health, then it is always advisable to seek professional help. Professional agencies or companies provide corporate wellbeing programs that ensure the improvement of the mental health of employees.
The concept of a wellbeing workplace is gaining popularity as companies realise the importance of the wellbeing of their employees.