Workers are under attack! In a 2021 survey, nearly 60% of workers said they had felt stress at work during the last month. 87% of workers said that actions from their employers would help them feel less stressed.
You must prioritize improving employee wellness. You need to do more than offer free snacks and open the curtains to let the sunlight in. You should adopt a comprehensive employee wellness strategy, taking several steps at once.
What resources do you need to provide to your employees? How can you make the office environment more comfortable? How can you help employees hone their skills?
Answer these questions and you can promote your employees’ health in no time. Here is your quick guide.
Give Sick Leave
When your employees can stay home when they are sick, they can rest and fight off their illnesses. They will also avoid spreading their pathogens through the office, reducing the chance that your other employees will get sick.
Ask your employees to stay home whenever they have a cold. You should require employees with COVID-19 to stay home for at least five days. They may want to remain at home longer if you have immunocompromised workers in your office.
Give your employees full health care benefits so they can go to the doctor and get the treatments they need. This includes eye and dental care, as bad eyesight and toothaches can impede your employees’ performance. Partnering up with an eye doctor and dental experts like this dependable dentist in Henderson for your employees can go a long way.
Create Reasonable Work Hours
A 40-hour work week is the standard full-time work week in the United States. Most employees work from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
But some employees find it beneficial to work from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., as this gives them an extra hour in the afternoon to decompress. You should propose a few different work schedules and allow your workers to take the one they prefer.
Some employees also want to work on weekends and take time off during the week. This lets them visit stores and companies that are normally closed on the weekends. Give your employees this option as well.
If your employees work more than 40 hours a week, they should receive compensation for the extra hours they work. You should give them money and stock options with your company. Take a look at these examples of wellness programs to determine what your benefits should look like.
Allow Workers to Stay at Home
Remote work is becoming the norm for many companies after the COVID-19 pandemic. Some companies are switching to remote work permanently while others are offering hybrid options. Workers can come to the office two or three days a week and remain at home for the other days.
Some people find working at home very beneficial. They can save money by not commuting, and they can stay in an environment they find peaceful. They can wear clothing they find comfortable and perform self-care exercises without interfering with others.
Give these workers the option of remaining at home. If you’re worried about productivity, you can ask them to check in with you throughout the day.
Challenge Your Workers to Stay Fit
Fitness challenges turn wellness activities at work into a game, which can give employees extra encouragement to perform them. You can divide your employees into teams, or you can ask each employee to perform on their own.
Launch a few different challenges at once. One challenge can be physical, encouraging your employees to do jumping jacks or walk long distances. The other challenges can promote mental wellness for employees, encouraging your workers to meditate or stretch.
The winner of these challenges should win a prize. You can give them free pizza, a trophy, or an extra day off. Personalize the prize to the recipient, giving them something related to a passion of theirs.
It’s easier for your employees to try these challenges out when they have free resources. You should sponsor a wellness program and give your employees discounts for yoga and meditation.
Practice Gratitude
Expressing gratitude can make you feel happier and make your relationships stronger. Give your workers opportunities to express gratitude for each other and other people in their lives.
Inside your office, you can have a gratitude wall. Employees can use sticky notes or index cards to write about their gratitude and put their thoughts on the wall.
Whenever an employee does something nice for you, thank them. This is a good way to acknowledge their performance without taking too much time and energy.
Prioritize Personal Development
Many workers leave their jobs because they can’t go further in their lines of work. They want to qualify for promotions, pay increases, and new responsibilities.
Give your workers opportunities to pursue these resources. Someone who is great at writing can move into an editing position. A good team leader can become a PR or training official.
Provide sponsorships and discounts for free classes, especially at local colleges and universities. You can also run talks and seminars in your office, inviting speakers to come in and share their knowledge.
Employees who have been with your company for years should receive a sabbatical. They can take a few weeks or months off of work to go and pursue a personal project of theirs.
Start Improving Employee Wellness
You can start improving employee wellness today. Give your workers full benefits, including sick leave and a few weeks of paid time off. Your employees should plan their own hours and feel comfortable working from home.
To encourage your workers to get into shape, you should run fitness challenges. Ask them to express their gratitude to each other and pursue educational opportunities. Long-time employees should receive sabbaticals, which will encourage workers to stay with your company.
Your wellness strategy requires the latest facts. Read the latest guides to employee wellness by following our coverage.
