Over the past 12 months, employee wellbeing has become one of the most important topics for employers and HR practitioners.
Covid-19 has meant that employers must seriously consider how to enhance the physical and psychological health of their employees. Rapid technological advancement and change, the uncertainty of a post-Brexit landscape, plus living and working amid a pandemic, has meant that employees have never been more stressed and anxious.
A complete re-imagining of our environment has come into play and we have seen an acceleration of remote working and the use of digital tools and communication channels. As we continue to navigate our way through the pandemic, what does it mean for employee wellbeing moving forward and what do employers need to do to support their teams?
Wellbeing
Employee wellbeing is at significant risk in 2021, with many employees struggling with the consequences of the pandemic. Factors such as job security, financial hardship, lack of social contact with friends and family and health risks and worries have combined to create a great deal of stress and anxiety within the workforce.
Whilst current employee wellbeing initiatives might continue, more emphasis and varied approaches will need to be made in 2021 to create a safe, productive, happy, and healthy working environment. We have detailed the following key areas that will need to be addressed if you wish to create a successful wellbeing strategy.
Emotional wellbeing
As the pandemic continues to have a significant impact on all aspects of our daily lives, we need to ensure that sustainable and trusted support systems for wellbeing and mental health are adopted and effective in the workplace. This will involve building a culture where it is safe to share mental health concerns and part of this will be to ensure that Line Managers can both spot and feel confident in supporting team members who experience mental health issues. With Mental Health First Aid courses now available online, this is a great way to support your team and to equip Managers with the skills needed for the current environment.
Physical wellbeing
This is definitely an element potentially more difficult to achieve if you have team members working remotely. That said, from a health and safety perspective, Employers have a duty of care to ensure the safety of those who work for them, whether they are office or home based. The obvious element to this for many is the use of display screen equipment. For those working at home on a temporary basis during Covid, Employers should provide team members with advice on completing their own basic work station assessment, guidance for which can be found on the Health and Safety Executive website.
Other workplace initiatives relating to physical wellbeing should include ensuring individuals take regular breaks in the working day and spend time away from their desks. This is not easy when individuals are working remotely, but encouraging individuals to book out regular breaks in the diary each day, or maybe having ‘meeting free’ hours or days, are ways to ensure that individuals aren’t stuck at their computers all day, every day. Individuals should also be encouraged to take exercise and get outdoors as much as they can, subject to government guidelines. Organisations such as ‘The Sleep School’ offer webinars on topics to optimise sleep quality and quantity and some employers are streaming activities such as yoga during the working day.
Financial wellbeing
Financial wellbeing of employees is often overlooked but has become a considerable cause for concern during the pandemic. As financial anxiety increases, employers can have a positive impact on financial wellbeing through a variety of initiatives. Access to financial education and guidance is often at the heart of any financial wellbeing programme. Employers can also support employee’s financial wellbeing by providing a range of additional support mechanisms such as access to regulated advice; financial products and services, and low-cost loans or grants to manage short term money emergencies.
Digital wellbeing
Digital wellbeing has become pertinent due to the rapid increase in the use of digital tools over the past 12 months. It is vital that employees have been trained to work with these tools effectively. The quick-change to working with such technologies can cause stress and uncertainty with those less familiar with digital working.
Employers must think more strategically about how they use technology to support employee wellbeing with online development and support, effective online communication, and resources such as mindfulness applications and online exercise classes.
Social wellbeing
Humans are naturally social beings. The lack of physical human contact over the past year has therefore presented us with some challenges. Digital communication tools such as Teams and Zoom amongst many others, have helped us stay connected with colleagues and loved ones. Employers must encourage their teams to stay socially healthy throughout this time, both at home and in the workplace. Staying socially healthy will benefit your physical and mental health, and your overall quality of life will reflect it.
We are also aware that Covid-19 has affected some groups more than others in relation to work-related outcomes (e.g., women). It has also created new divisions within the workforce, especially those who work from home vs front line employees and those who are furloughed vs those who are still working.
Inclusion must remain the core focus so that new inequalities cease to emerge.
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As we move forward, we must emphasise the need for wellbeing to encompass more than just emotional support, but physical, financial, digital, and social too so that we can maintain a happy and inclusive working environment, whether in the office or working remotely. Our means of delivering support will need to change given our new ways of working and that can present challenges, but the task at hand is not impossible.
If you need help and support in creating a thorough wellbeing plan, please contact us today on 01625 428926 or enquiries@sitrusconsulting.com
