Improving employee wellbeing in three steps

Employee wellbeing is emerging as a top priority, with many workers now expecting their workplaces to offer greater support.

According to Carli Philipps, the Lead Researcher for Government Wellbeing Research Projects and CEO of Corporate Wellbeing Hub, this shift was accelerated by COVID-19 lockdowns — when employees gained a new life perspective while working from home, with flexible hours.

“We were able to exercise, prepare our meals, spend less time commuting and, as a result, productivity increased. Now that this lifestyle has been tried and tested, it has become a norm in many workplaces.”

Philipps cited the findings of the Gallup 2023 State of the Global Workplace Report, which revealed that only 23% of workers are engaged and thriving at work, with 59% ‘quiet quitting’ (not engaged) and 18% ‘loud quitting’ (actively disengaged).

“Retention is a major issue for any industry in Australia and offering health benefits is of great value to the workforce. Supporting employee wellbeing is a huge drawcard to new candidates but also a very strong pull for existing ones to stay loyal,” she said.

In addition, new laws have made it obligatory for employers to identify and mitigate psychosocial hazards at work.

“In other words, when the SafeWork inspectors come out to your workplace, they will be asking which hazards you have identified and what action plan you have created to mitigate these,” Philipps said.

A three-step strategy

Companies can adopt a three-step approach to get started on improving the wellbeing of employees.

Step 1: Assess

Companies should not select a wellbeing initiative based on assumptions about what the team needs (or the current preference of the HR manager).

“Collect employee data in a thorough assessment before customising your program,” Philipps said.

Organisations should examine and review data from multiple sources, such as wellbeing surveys, employee engagement surveys, psychosocial risk audits, EAP reports, exit interviews and workers compensation claims.

“Then hold focus group discussions with each department, to really unpack the data and how it relates to each team. Each metric may mean something different to each team, depending on their roles,” Philipps said.

Step 2: Customise

Focus on meeting the unique needs of the workforce, as uncovered through the previous assessment. The wellbeing program delivery model must make it as easy as possible for all employees to access. On-demand e-learning is ideal for autonomous workers, face-to-face toolbox talks are well received with outdoor workers and live online events are feasible for office-based employees.

“To implement effectively, take the resources to the people. This is where wellbeing champions can really give your wellbeing program the boost it needs! Peer-to-peer advocacy from the ground up is a huge motivator,” Philipps said.

Step 3: Engage

An ongoing communication plan, combined with wellbeing champions in each department, can help to establish a highly successful, ground-up approach that results in high employee engagement and real behaviour change.

A common trap is what Philipps terms the “launch it and leave it” approach, where businesses spend time and resources building a wellbeing program, publish it in an email or on their intranet, and then ignore it for the next year. Instead, both qualitative and quantitative metrics should be collected.

Short-term program evaluation via feedback forms can provide both qualitative and quantitative ratings. Longer term metrics include absenteeism rates, retention rates, productivity rates, workers compensation claims and EAP (employee assistance program) utilisation percentages.

Workplace bullying and work pressure, in the spotlight

Workplace bullying/harassment and work pressure are among the most common causes of mental health conditions (according to Safe Work Australia’s latest report on psychological health and safety in the workplace). Philipps said that these psychosocial risks are typically obvious prior to risk audit or assessment, and sometimes, the reality is worse than anticipated.

“When it comes to controlling psychosocial risks, the bottom line is that we want employees to feel cared for and feel that they belong. People don’t leave businesses; they leave managers, especially when they feel like a number, feel unheard or feel unseen. Yet they have a right to work in a physically and mentally safe workplace,” she said.

Creating a mentally safe workplace requires a leadership shift — showing genuine care for an employee’s wellbeing by taking the time to consider one’s words; asking about their health and wellbeing on a regular basis; and giving time and patience to conversations where careful listening is practiced.

For a third consecutive year, Philipps will be presenting a keynote at the upcoming Workplace Health and Safety Show, taking place from 22 to 23 May at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre. Her Spotlight Stage presentation on 22 May is titled ‘3 Gaps in Psychological Safety and How to Close Them’.

Register here for free: https://whsshow.com.au/whats-on-melbourne.

Image credit: iStock.com/kelvn