No matter the size of your office or your team within it, employee wellness is the bread and butter of creating a driven, productive, and loyal staff body.
When employees feel like they’re seen and heard, and also are allowed to still be human beings with energy levels and hunger needs, they’re going to appreciate the work they do a whole lot more.
And as the boss, it’s best to recognize the many different ways you can uplift and benefit employee wellness.
After all, it’s easy to forget about a few of the most crucial elements – even when you’re focused on health and safety and creating a warm company culture – but we’re here to serve you a reminder.
Elements of employee wellness:
1. The ability to set boundaries
Setting boundaries is key to maintaining good working relationships. You can’t feel respected by someone if they’re always pushing into your space, interrupting your time, and not even letting you speak up on your own behalf when you have a problem.
If you spot this behavior amongst the team, you’ll need to have a word with the person overriding their coworkers.
But at the same time, make sure you’re not the cause of this as the boss either. If someone needs to say no to you, don’t let them feel like they’re actually unable to do so.
You may be disappointed by a capable employee saying they can’t put the time in for you, but they have a right to make this clear.
2. The need for quiet and peaceful space
No one should have to work surrounded by noise at every single hour. It’s OK to enjoy the hustle and bustle of an office, but it shouldn’t be the standard. If someone needs some peace and quiet, and a little bit of space, they should be allowed to go and find it.
And remember, even office spaces can get loud enough to damage someone’s hearing. While you’re thinking about the best way to create a feeling of peace and zen in the workplace, think about promoting awareness for hearing loss at the same time.
Quiet working areas are good for this. You can even set up soundproof cubicles where someone can walk in, shut the door, and still be a part of the overall social workplace.
You can also encourage your employees to bring in their own earbuds, whether they want to play their own music or simply drown out the noise around them.
3. The chance for career progression
No person really wants to be in a role where their current salary, set of tasks, and overall career competency is all they’re going to get. They want to know there’s a chance to learn and grow, even if they don’t know exactly what they want to do.
Training should be part of your employee package, for both the work they’re hired for and for their own resume development. Employee wellness isn’t that hard to encourage. You’ve just got to remember the important things!
