A culture of wellbeing is more than words on a wall.
It is a drastic and resolute intention of will, backed up by unwavering daily action.
Creating a culture of wellbeing is what all companies are (or at least should be) striving for.
Beyond the fact that caring for employees is the right thing to do, we know that staff who are healthy and well are significantly better for business than those who are not.
They are more productive, more collaborative, have more energy, burnout far less, take less sick days, have shorter sickness absences, and are overall easier to manage than staff who are unwell.
It makes sense, then, for businesses to proactively improve the health and wellbeing of their staff, and creating an environment where being healthy and well is encouraged and supported is the most practical and sustainable way to achieve that i.e. having a culture of wellbeing.
So, how do we do that in actuality?
Contrary to what you might think there are some very clear steps to take in order to create the culture you’re after.
7 steps to creating a culture of wellbeing:
Adopt wellbeing as a core value – the values of companies vary widely but, if they are followed through on, they dictate what that company is all about. By adopting wellbeing as a core value you signal to all and sundry that this is a priority for you and it is not only accepted for staff to care for their wellbeing but greatly encouraged. By taking this step, you become an organisation that is associated with wellbeing by staff, customers, suppliers, competitors, and the community, which helps to reinforce that identity, which encourages action in the service of that identity, which reinforces that identity, which encourages action in the service of that identity, and on and on and on.
Speak openly about it – as much as people say there is no stigma around wellbeing, and mental wellbeing in particular, there most definitely is. If you are in a workplace where you don’t feel comfortable speaking about the issues that are affecting your wellbeing, you’re in one that still has this stigma attached. The more openly health and wellbeing risks and issues are discussed the less stigma is tied to it, the greater people’s comfort in addressing their issues will be, and the more solutions we will collaboratively find.
Listen to staff and use them as a resource – your staff are the ones who know best how they’re doing and how the policies, practices, workloads and relationships within the organisation are affecting them. Use your staff as your best source of information by checking in regularly with them and ensuring they feel heard. When you do this on a regular basis you will get thoughtful and considered feedback as opposed to spur of the moment tirades.
Respond to issues with action, not reaction – when facing health and wellbeing issues in the workplace, one of the worst things we can do is adopt a knee-jerk reaction. This can often lead to band-aid solutions that end up doing more harm than good. Listen to your people’s concerns, let them know that you hear them, then seek long-term solutions to the issues at hand. In this, keep staff informed every step of the way and involve them in the solution as much as possible to ensure it’s effective and it sticks.
Change or remove things that harm wellbeing – be open to changing policies and practices, wherever possible, that don’t serve the wellbeing of your staff. By being open to adjusting your ways of working you show staff that you are not so rigid as to sacrifice their wellbeing for business objectives, and where you can’t change, staff will be much more likely to step up and push through for you because they know you tried for them.
Introduce initiatives that matter – workplaces that have a culture of wellbeing don’t have ‘perks’, they have initiatives that matter to their people. Perks are often gimmicks that are nice to have but don’t make an actual impact. Initiatives that matter are services and activities that address a specific want or need in staff and further reinforce the identity of your workplace. Think ping pong table vs regular visits from a workplace wellbeing specialist.
Role-model wellbeing from the top – staff are watching more than they’re listening and will take their cues for how to behave, what’s acceptable and what’s encouraged from the actions, not the words, of their leaders. If you want staff to be healthy and well, be healthy and well yourself and they will follow.
Creating a culture of wellbeing within a workplace is the most practical, effective, and sustainable way to improve the health and wellbeing of your staff, and it’s simpler than we tend to make it.
Follow these steps, create your own culture of wellbeing and watch the impact it has on your people and your business.
It’s something you won’t ever regret doing.
Want more info? Book in for a chat here or send us an email at [email protected].
