Prioritizing health and well-being in the workplace has benefits for employees and business owners. Investing in physical and mental health can help to increase productivity, reduce the risk of absence and boost morale. If you run a business and you’re keen to get the best out of your team, here are some proactive steps to improve employee health and well-being.
Review your employee benefits package
It’s beneficial to review your employee benefits package regularly to remain competitive, but it’s also important to ensure you continue to meet your employees’ needs. In recent years, health and well-being have become increasingly important to workers. A recent Gallup poll revealed that over 60% of employees rate an employer’s attitude to workplace well-being as an important factor when considering job offers.
Including health-related benefits is a simple, effective way to show your employees that you care and boost employee well-being. Examples include health and dental insurance, discounts on gym membership and access to mental health workshops and programs. Search for insurance policies that are relevant to your business and the nature of employee roles.
You can find specialist plans such as health insurance for CDL truck drivers by contacting insurance brokers or searching online. Compare prices and consider adding extras to create a more comprehensive package. Contact other local businesses to see if you can join forces to benefit employees on all sides. If your office is near a gym, for example, you could come to an arrangement that means your team pays lower membership fees.
Identify and address common health issues
Statistics from the US Department of Labor show that up to 8 million workers miss at least one day of work per month due to poor health. As an employer, it’s helpful to be aware of common health issues and to try to address possible causes and risk factors. Back pain, for example, is one of the most common work-related illnesses. If you have employees who are taking time off work due to back and neck pain, implement ways to lower risks. Examples include providing ergonomic chairs and adjustable desks, offering a combination of sitting and standing desks, providing access to massages and physical therapy and running a workshop on good posture.
Communicate with your team
Building strong relationships is a brilliant way to get to know employees and improve morale and mental health. People want to feel valued. If they feel like their boss appreciates them and the workplace is a pleasant, inclusive, welcoming environment, this can do wonders for mental well-being. It also helps to increase employee retention rates. Communicate with your team, listen to ideas and concerns and encourage your team to share suggestions. If people are stressed, for example, they may want to put ideas forward to manage schedules better, share workloads or establish clearer boundaries between work and leisure time. Offering flexibility can help employees to establish a better work-life balance.
Taking good care of employees has incredible benefits for business owners. Happy, healthy teams are more likely to hit targets, remain loyal to the company and work productively and efficiently. As an employer, it’s important to be aware of the importance of physical and mental health. Be proactive in boosting well-being at work by reviewing and improving your employee benefits package, identifying and addressing common health issues and communicating effectively with your team.
