Organizations are currently grappling with many issues following the fallout of the global pandemic. One is arguably most often cited as being the top issue keeping CEOs up at night and that is, how to stop the revolving door of employee turnover.
The reasons for staff turnover or poor retention will vary from company to company. The pandemic has led to many people re-evaluating their priorities and levels of satisfaction with their lot in life and none more so than in the world of work. So, if there is one area of the employee experience that you should ignore at your peril, it is employee well-being.
The Current Situation in The Labor Market is Looking Quite Grim
Four of out five employees worldwide are not flourishing at work, according to a survey of over 14,000 people from 37 countries conducted by Johns Hopkins Carey Business School.
The reasons behind these low results go beyond the impacts of the pandemic. Employees worldwide consistently experience serious gaps in purpose and connections which are two core aspects of employee well-being.
Many organizations have attempted to repair poor employee well-being with a sticky plaster with fixes such as meditation apps and smartwatches. But, like any problem in life, you must uncover the root cause, and fix it at that level, if you want a long-lasting solution.
To Simply Exist Or To Flourish
A flourishing state of employee well-being is associated with meeting our potential, developing strong work relationships, and doing things that we consider important and worthwhile. And when companies promote employee well-being effectively, they can increase employee retention three-fold, as our research shows. The good news is that employee well-being can be supported and developed. After researching the survey data, we know that six key practices are proving to help managers enhance employee well-being:
Measure employee well-being regularly
Employees’ needs are individualized and always evolving. This makes surveying, listening, and measuring essential tools for understanding employees’ current experiences and tailoring strategies to support them.
Send powerful, simple signals that well-being matters
A crucial first step in acknowledging the emotional burdens employees may be facing is to let employees know their company and leaders care and that their organizations support them. This can be as simple as leaders modeling the behavior themselves.
Connect employees with human experts
Well-being needs personalization, making coaches, experts, and counselors critical resources to guide employees in developing strategies and skills for their own situations, strengths, and values. This is particularly true for mental health, which includes emotional well-being. Providing employees with seminars, speakers, access to the latest podcasts, and well-being experts in the field on a regular and free basis is key to support.
Activate local champions
Well-being is an experience shaped by the personal interactions and group dynamics that employees experience daily. Enabling employees at the team level to serve as role models and advocates can inspire others to advocate for a climate of well-being.
Create a culture of ongoing development and learning
Improve employees’ capacity to achieve better well-being with self-development courses, coaching, mentorship, and open communication about personal & professional goals and work-life harmony.
Empower people to shape their contribution
Allow employees some level of autonomy in their work while linking their role to the outcomes of the organization. This can help provide a sense of control and purpose – key elements in fostering a sense of well-being.
Nutritional eating and well-being are vital to health and well-being, whether it is physical, mental, or emotional. The link between health and success is increasingly recognized as a key factor in workplace productivity, and our research tells us that organizations that invest in employee well-being see a much greater return in productivity, profitability, brand value, and customer engagement. Therefore, it makes sense to Invest in employee wellbeing and it should be a key business objective for success.
Our ‘Workplace Wellness’ services provide a range of health, well-being, and nutrition programs to organizations to enable them to create a workforce that is ‘Fit for Work and Fit for Life’. Having a healthy being, and healthy eating ethos in the workplace will have a positive effect on positivity, productivity, and your employees’ wellbeing.
Our presentations are based on the latest science-led research but delivered in a non-jargon language to optimize engagement and impact.
Are your employees experiencing wellness at work?
If you would like to speak to one of our wellness experts, then call us on 01923 77880 or email cook@thecookingacademy.co.uk
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Kumud Gandhi is a Nutritional Food Scientist bestselling Author, Broadcaster, and Keynote Speaker on the subject of nutritional health for productivity & performance in the workplace. In 2010 Kumud founded ‘The Cooking Academy’ a cookery school that focusses on cooking for nutritional health and wellbeing. Kumud regularly presents to international audiences on a variety of topics such as ‘Eating for Immunity and a Lifetime of Wellness’. She is an expert in the field of Wellness in the Workplace and works with organizations to create transformational change in employee health & well-being through nutrition and health coaching.
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