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What is Employee Health and Wellbeing?

October 27, 2021

Categorised in: Employee Benefits, Employee Wellbeing

To focus in on Employee health and wellbeing involves checking that your employees are safe, healthy, content and engaged in their work. As part of any HR strategy, employee welfare must be considered especially with the critical impact the coronavirus outbreak has had on workplace mental health. It is also a key element for business productivity and shapes the way a company operates.

The issue concerns more than just absences amongst staff. Other than physical health, employee wellbeing is about focusing on other aspects of the mind that simply cannot be dismissed.

 

Reasons why Employee Health and Wellbeing matter

The dynamics of the workplace have changed dramatically over the last few decades. Due to this, mental health for employees is far more important and must be prioritised more by employers as a critical factor in supporting the well-being of their people. Poor mental health is often at the root of long term absence issues that sometimes affect companies, and these incur significant costs. Having a supportive culture for your workforce and enforcing a wellbeing programme along with valued Employee Benefits, can minimise the risks of mental health issues for employees and can result in a positive domino effect within your business.

More importantly, psychologists have cautioned that self-isolation can trigger illnesses such as depression, PSTD and more. That’s why employers need to plan more effectively for a phased return to work and focus more on employee wellbeing and mental health support as part of this. Having said this, employee wellbeing isn’t just a Covid induced problem, it has been a trending topic prior to Covid-19 and here are the reasons why focusing on employee wellbeing is good for business, because it:

  • Lowers absences and healthcare costs
  • Improves Employee Engagement
  • Increases efficiency
  • Creates positive employee morale & increased confidence
  • Promotes employers of choice: attracting new talent through wellness programmes.

 

How to improve employee health and wellbeing

There are many ways a well-being programme can benefit an organisation. Hive360 offers comprehensive Wellbeing Support in our integrated employee app as well as a host of other attractive benefits. In every case, prevention is better than cure, and this applies to mental health too. Here are just a few different ways to implement an Employee Wellbeing Scheme:

  • Health screen – conduct an occupational health assessment at work and address any underlying issues
  • Health insurance – health-related insurance schemes offered to employees for peace of mind
  • Employee welfare solution – these can be company-wide fitness competitions to encourage physical fitness and develop team spirit and self-esteem
  • Nutritious meals encouraged and provided at work
  • Employee Wellbeing Services such as gym discounts, counselling services etc
  • More flexible working options offered to staff

 

Future of Employee health and wellbeing

Employers are realising the significance of employee health and wellbeing because of the power it has in transforming the lives of their employees. The mental health of workers has been a hotspot prior to Covid-19. But, thanks to the pandemic, there’s more emphasis and wider awareness of the issue,  which is leading to somewhat greater understanding and empathy.

The price of employee’s absenteeism, disconnection and healthcare are too high to be overlooked. As employers are progressively understanding employee wellbeing, we’ll start to see more competitive and diversified employee wellbeing benefits, programmes and apps.

 

We offer a great Employee Benefits Scheme, and Employee Wellbeing Solutions that are available at any time, and at no additional cost as it’s included as part of our wider solution.

For more information, you can Contact Us for support and advice, or book a Demo.