In the second part of our series, 'Wellbeing at Work,' Caxton's Director of People, Jane-Emma Peerless, delves into practical steps you can take today to improve the health and happiness of your team. Creating a culture of workplace wellness is crucial for the overall wellbeing of your employees.
Begin by fostering a culture of wellness in your workplace. There are various actions you can take and free resources available to signal your commitment to supporting your employees' mental, physical, and financial health. This could involve promoting wellness programs, providing healthy snacks in the office, or offering access to mental health resources.
Clearly communicate what your organisation can and cannot do to support employee wellbeing. Create a well-defined wellbeing policy that outlines your approach and values. An honest and transparent approach is crucial in building trust and empowering your employees to take charge of their wellbeing.
Give your employees "permission" to take time out for self-care and wellbeing. Encourage them to recharge and destress. For instance, consider implementing a weekly "wellness" hour that can be added to lunch breaks, allowing employees to take a walk, visit the gym, or engage in activities that rejuvenate them.
Understand your current workplace wellbeing baseline. Conduct an audit to identify mental and physical health risks in your organisation. By recognising potential issues, you can develop a plan to minimise or eliminate these risks. This includes identifying factors such as job demands, hazardous materials, or any mental health challenges that may be prevalent.
Utilise appropriate tools to conduct a risk assessment for mental wellness and overall health and safety. Websites like the Health and Safety Executive offer templates for assessing work-related stress in a small business: HSE risk assessment on work related stress in a small business. These assessments can help you pinpoint areas that need immediate attention and improvement.
Take advantage of free self-assessment tools to gauge your company's current wellbeing efforts. Organsations like Business in the Community offer self-assessment tools that benchmark initiatives against similar companies and provide actionable suggestions for improvement. This can help you refine your approach.
Develop a comprehensive plan for enhancing workplace wellbeing and communicate your intentions clearly to your team. It's essential to introduce initiatives gradually, focusing on embedding them into your company culture. Cultural shifts take time, and the adoption of wellbeing practices as part of everyday business life requires consistency and persistence.
Remember, improving workplace wellbeing is an ongoing process. By implementing these steps, you can create a healthier and happier work environment that not only benefits your employees but also contributes to the overall success of your organisation.
Don't miss out on the previous article: