According to recent Winc research, 76% percent of employees in Australia say their workplace could do more to support employee wellbeing. This makes the development of a comprehensive workplace wellness strategy crucial for organizations looking to promote a healthier and more productive work environment. To help organizations looking to improve their workplace wellness support, Carl Buik, director and principal consultant at Buik Health, shares his expert advice on key considerations when preparing a framework for a holistic wellness experience at work.
Before we start
Know your responsibilities as an employer.
At a minimum, all employers have an obligation to maintain compliance with the laws of their jurisdiction. There are many laws that employers must comply with that can affect the health and well-being of their people. All jurisdictions in Australia have comprehensive occupational health and safety laws that must be complied with. In recent years, occupational health and safety regulations have been updated across the country or new requirements have been introduced requiring employers to manage psychosocial risks and implement control measures. All organizations must comply with these laws and ensure they are proactive in complying with changes.
Listen to your people.
Collaboration is key when it comes to an organization with health and wellness strategies that are relevant and effective for its people. The more you can listen to your people, the more aligned your strategies will be with their needs. Consult with your leadership team to understand how your wellness strategy can align with business priorities, and be sure to ask your employees about their wellness experience at work. This can be done through surveys, focus groups or by analyzing existing data within the company.
Design work that promotes health and well-being.
Prevention is always better than cure. Leading employers are improving work design to support employee well-being, while optimizing their contributions at work. By eliminating or controlling psychosocial risks such as high workload, tight deadlines or lack of control, frustrations and stress can be prevented, including preventing burnout from continued exposure at risk Smarter work design can not only improve employee well-being, but also lead to better employee engagement and productivity.
Be creative with communications.
Many workplaces already have a range of workplace wellness initiatives. However, their communications may be the weakest link in achieving the success they desire. Organizations need comprehensive communications plans to support awareness, reach and engagement with their wellness initiatives.
Six tips for an effective workplace wellness strategy.
1. Prioritize workplace wellness with your executive and leadership teams.
Organizations that do not prioritize health and wellness at the executive and senior management level will not achieve as effective an impact within their organization. Top leaders must be a leading force in shaping a healthy culture and ensuring that adequate resources are provided to meet health and wellness priorities and actions.
2. Assess your organizations’ wellness experience for a data-driven approach.
What are the main health problems of your employees? What are your organizations wellness goals? Once you have a good understanding of your starting point, you can develop a plan to improve. Collect and analyze any relevant data, such as workplace surveys, health risk assessments and HR records to gain insight into your organisation’s existing wellbeing needs and challenges. Identify specific areas of improvement to address the unique needs of your workforce.
3. Design a strategy that will guide you to success.
Having a health and wellness strategy and action plan for your organization will help ensure that you are taking an evidence-based approach and that you are set up for success with a results-oriented path. A holistic health and wellbeing strategy will consist of ways to prevent physical and psychological harm, support workers with health and wellbeing issues and promote thriving work and life experiences.
4. Present your wellness action plan and collaborate with your stakeholders.
Deliver your wellness action plan in line with your organization’s strategic priorities to ensure a greater chance of making a positive impact. Collaborate with key stakeholders on a regular basis. For example, consult with employees about feedback to ensure initiatives are tailored to their needs. Monitor how effective you are at reaching and engaging your people and make the necessary adjustments to remove obstacles and improve your reach and impact.
5. Evaluate your strategy and impact.
To ensure the success of your wellness strategy, it’s critical to define measures of success and set measurable goals up front. This clarity makes it easier to assess the impact and results of your strategies. Through evaluation, you can better identify effectiveness, strengths, and identify areas for improvement. Re-measuring your baseline metrics (used to develop your strategy) will allow you to identify trends or impact. Comparison with external benchmarks can provide valuable information to assess your organization’s performance. Use this information to make the necessary changes to improve the effectiveness of the program to meet the needs of your employees.
6. Evolve the welfare strategy and action plan to adapt to emerging needs and opportunities.
As the world changes, so do the needs of your organization. Stay informed about emerging trends, research and best practices in workplace wellness. Regularly review and update your strategy to incorporate new initiatives, technologies and approaches that can better support the evolving needs of your workforce. Encourage continuous employee feedback and remain responsive to their changing expectations and preferences. By continually adapting your strategy, business leaders can ensure that it effectively addresses the evolving needs of employees and provides them with the resources they need for a healthier wellness experience at work.
How Winc can help.
Winc offers a wide range of everyday products that can help you deliver your workplace wellness program including: Office & Filing Products, Kitchen Essentials, Cleaning & Hygiene, Health & Safety , Mindfulness Essentials, Technology and Ergonomic Furniture. If you are interested in a tailor-made solution for your workplace, please contact your Winc Account Manager.
About Carl: Carl Buik is the Director and Principal Consultant at Buik Health, where he helps organizations design best practice strategies for health and wellness. For over 17 years, Carl has worked with many leading employers to help design, implement and evaluate their health and wellness strategies.
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