We all know that happy employees equal happy customers and clients. So, when you have an opportunity to boost the mood of your employees, helping them be more creative and productive, why not take it? Well-being initiatives are one of the most tangible ways an organisation can play a role in its employees’ well-being and mental health.
Offering a range of different options can ensure that employees feel valued and fulfilled, creating a happy, healthy workforce. So, the experts at PPL PRS have advised several initiatives that businesses can implement with little preparation.
What impact does well-being have?
It’s not only mental health that well-being can impact, but also the motivation, productivity, and stress levels. According to research by Mates in Mind, employee absence due to sickness can cost employers around £8.4 billion a year, whereas presenteeism, or reduced productivity at work, can cost £15.1 billion every year.
Engaging your employees with initiatives both inside and outside the office can foster a shared sense of purpose, providing opportunities for new bonds and boosting morale throughout the business. So, with that in mind, here are four simple yet effective initiatives to help you revitalise your workforce.
Encourage physical activity
Keeping fit and adopting healthy habits is a great way to reduce stress and help your employees maintain a level head. Research shows that getting moving, no matter what form it’s in, can help de-stress. So, why not try introducing a variety of different activities for staff to get involved in?
Whether it’s a half-hour yoga session during lunch or an after-work running club, giving opportunities to help your employees get moving can improve their overall mood and mental health. We all know that exercise is good for the body, but the feel-good endorphins released when we move to make a difference to our outlook on the day.
If you have a less fitness-focused workforce, even getting everyone out for a lunchtime walk can make a world of difference. Walking for half an hour every day helps reduce tension, boost enthusiasm and relax the brain. In turn, all of this helps staff be more productive when they’re back at their desks and stimulates the flow of creativity for the rest of the day.
Offer flexible working
For many employees, having a good work-life balance is the key to happiness within a role. Whether they work full time or part-time, making sure that your staff have time to wind down, see friends and family and pursue hobbies is essential.
Working around an unforgiving work schedule can often get in the way of a work-life balance, whereas flexible working can help employees feel valued, appreciated, and trusted. Offering a reasonable, flexible or remote working schedule allows your workforce to take a breather when they need it but still enables them to be just as productive as ever. Three-quarters of employees are more effective when working remotely, with just under a third managing to get more work done in less time.
Enable team activities
Putting on activities that the whole workforce can get involved with is a great way to build connections between employees who usually socialise. Team building tasks that require collaboration are the best way to get individuals communicating, helping them build trust. In the end, you might even see a heightened level of motivation around the office, as staff will be more committed to working towards shared goals.
Starting a sports team or putting on a Pub Quiz evening is a simple yet great way to get individuals together. Organizing events for charity or putting on a karaoke night are also great ideas to foster team spirit.
Promote mindfulness
Practising mindfulness is one of the most effective methods of reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. Enabling employees to improve their awareness of different aspects of life and their importance facilitates positive emotions and harnesses creativity.
We’ve all heard of office dogs, but have you ever considered letting your employees bring their other furry friends to work? Bringing your pet to workdays is a firm favourite for many, and research shows that having a pet around can benefit your mental health.
Another thing that can influence your mental health is music. That’s because it is considered a natural antidepressant, as listening to music causes the release of dopamine which is the hormone that can make us feel happy.
Playing music via a workplace licensed streaming service in the office is one way that boosts well-being on the whole too, as it can also have an impact in reducing stress and can make employees more productive, which can benefit both your employees and the business as a whole.
