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Key Considerations for Workplace Wellness

🕑 3 minutes read | Nov 03 2022 | By Sherron Barnhill, TTA Learning Consultant
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According to the source, thebalancemoney.com, in 2021, Americans worked an average of 38.7 hours per week. This statistic indicates that many people spend a significant amount of their time in the workplace; therefore, we must consider the component of workplace wellness.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines wellness as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” This definition alone provides a significant breakdown of what should not only be considered a strategy but as a standard of practice when implementing wellness in the workplace. It also helps us to understand that wellness goes beyond just providing Health Insurance Plans and HSA accounts for employees and their families, but it also includes an environment in which working conditions are suitable for individuals to thrive physically, mentally, and socially. In understanding this, let’s examine some things to consider when implementing wellness in the workplace.

Workplace Wellness: 4 Key Considerations

  1. Flexibility at Work: Creating work schedules for your employees that are conducive to a work-life balance model is crucially important for their overall wellness. Family is such a vital component to many employees in the workforce. With this understanding, employers should consider the workload and hours conducive to the employee having the opportunity to institute a balance between their work and life. Generous benefits will yield grateful employees and great productivity.
  2. Support Services: Support services are essential for all employees. From IT and technical support to mental health support, it is crucial to offer various support services to allow your employees to have a healthy workplace environment. These services can be provided directly by your company or a third party with whom you contract to accommodate your employees throughout different phases of life. For employees battling physical or mental disturbances that may be inhibiting them from optimally performing their job roles, it is ideal to have mental health support services available to help them through these different transitions. Wellness coaches, counselors, or consultants may also be beneficial to your employees to help bring practical advice and awareness to the benefits of having a balanced lifestyle.
  3. Workplace Diversity: Creating an inclusive workplace cannot be emphasized enough. Workplace diversity gives the employees assurance that their employer is an equal opportunity employer and ensure that all employees can grow and develop positively within the organization
  4. Camaraderie: Workplace camaraderie facilitates a productive working environment and promotes social well-being in the workplace. Developing positive professional relationships promotes collaboration and a healthy workplace environment. A toxic working environment can affect everyone and produce poorer work quality. Every work environment should have a system set in place that provides employees with solid solutions to any problems that may arise. Not addressing conflicts or problems is a breeding ground for division in the workplace.

Wellness in the workplace should be a priority. It can potentially affect an establishment’s overall performance and can very well determine the longevity of a business. If your business does not have a wellness program, you should seriously consider it.

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