Why Employee Wellbeing is Worth Investing in and How To Improve It

Here at 3Search we never do anything half-heartedly! Employee wellbeing is something we value greatly, and this August marked our wellbeing month. I am sure you wouldn’t expect to be running laps around fields with your colleagues while being shouted at by military drill sergeants but that is exactly what we did! It is amazing what can happen when you prioritise wellness in and out of the office.

Only a couple of decades ago, employee wellness programmes simply did not exist. But today, employee health and wellbeing are one of the biggest areas of focus for HR departments – and with good reason!

Employees are not just simply the cogs that keep your company going, perhaps as they were once viewed, but humans who can feel stressed, emotional and overworked…(right?!) Therefore, investing in your employees (financially, mentally and physically) has endless benefits.

With that said, here are our top 3 reasons why we feel investing in employee wellbeing is worth it:

1. Healthier employees cost less
There are hundreds of studies out there to support the fact that healthy employees reduce health care expenditures. Johnson & Johnson’s, are a company who pride themselves on their wellness programme, which saved them over $38 million in its first four years. You might wonder how creating a wellness programme will end up saving you money when it sounds like it will be costly for your business, and honestly, the statistics speak for themselves. 38% of employees who partake in a wellness programme say it has helped them take fewer sick days.

Employee absenteeism continues to be a key concern throughout all industry sectors. Therefore, investing in a wellbeing programme can help reduce absenteeism by creating a working environment that promotes a healthy lifestyle and educates your employees about all thing’s health, fitness and diet.

2. Improved performance
Healthy work environments can improve employee productivity by contributing to employee happiness and confidence. It’s not a stretch to think that employees who feel appreciated at work are more likely to feel content and enthusiastic. According to the Salesforce report, employees who feel their voice is heard are 4.6 times more likely to feel empowered to perform at work.

High performance is great for everyone in an organisation, and wellbeing is essential for it to happen! Therefore, it is important to reduce factors that negatively affect wellbeing, like burnout and demotivation. Wellbeing is something that can easily be passed between employees, especially when social interactions are a key part of your company culture. This means not only does wellbeing affect an individual’s performance, but it can also directly affect the performance of colleagues around them.

Taking steps towards avoiding low levels of wellbeing amongst all staff is more important than trying to achieve higher, but dispersed levels of wellbeing. It is unrealistic to assume things will change overnight, but taking small steps is important to help increase performance levels in the long run.

3. Better customer experience
For your employees, it can be difficult to be positive and helpful around customers when they are feeling tired and burnt out at work. Those promoting health and wellbeing are seen as 3.5 times more likely to be creative and innovative, meaning employees are more likely to be engaged and motivated, giving your customers a more positive experience with your brand.

Improved wellness can also help improve employee turnover, resulting in higher retention rates. 51% of employees from a company who do not have a wellness programme say they intend to leave their job, compared to only 25% for companies who offer a wellness programme. You probably want long-term employees who understand your company culture and customer needs. So why wouldn’t you offer even the simplest of wellness programmes to keep your employee retention rate high?

Now that you have seen all the facts to back up the sheer importance of employee wellbeing, you are probably wondering how exactly you can promote it. So, we’ve decided to make it easy for you and list our top 3 ways to do just that:

1. Provide healthcare/health insurance
It is easier than you think to offer health insurance to your employees, with studies suggesting it is by far the most important benefit an employee can receive from their employer. If health benefits are a top priority for employees, it should be a top priority for their employers too.

Not only do these benefits retain your employees and attract potential new ones, but healthcare and health insurance is a great way to boost productivity. With 60% of employers saying offering insurance has led to higher productivity levels.

2. Throwdown a fitness challenge
This is one of the best ways to kickstart your company’s wellbeing into full force. Fitness challenges are a great way to bond with your employees whilst unlocking the friendly competition in them. Healthcare experts estimate that up to 90% of healthcare spending is caused by problems associated with unhealthy lifestyle choices.

Fitness challenges don’t have to cost much to launch, yet they provide great benefits to your business, promoting both team-building and overall wellbeing. It allows your employees to interact with each other in a setting away from the stress of work and interact about everything and anything other than work. These relationships can help improve company culture, which can cause increased loyalty and cooperation.

At 3Search, we decided this was a great way to kickstart our wellbeing month, so attended Be Military Fit, The Foundry, Strongman and Hurt Locker. We may not have come out looking great, but we definitely felt great!

3. Promote mental health awareness and counselling 
According to the World Health organisation, over 300 million people suffer from depression, so it is fairly safe to say that in most workplaces, you’ll find some employees who also fall victim. You can join the fight against mental health by offering awareness programmes and counselling. Even a small mention of mental health and the available options can boost someone’s wellbeing.

Good health is good business!

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3Search is an award-winning UK recruitment consultancy, specialising in marketing, strategy & transformation, and tech positions. Whether you’re seeking new talent or looking for your next career move, we can help. Learn more at www.3search.co.uk.