5 Cost-Free Ways to Boost Employee Wellbeing

A recent study by Thomas A. Wright, a professor of management at America’s Kansas State University, is one of several that suggests employee wellbeing is directly related to worker productivity. Workers who are generally happy are better able to concentrate on effective decision-making, are more motivated to put a high level of effort into a project, and are more likely to stay at the same job for a long period of time.

Improving employee wellbeing may be crucial for the success of any organisation, but it does not always have to be a major undertaking that costs a company thousands of dollars in special workshops, retraining, and hiring of experts in organisational psychology. Here are five simple ideas for boosting employee wellbeing in any workplace.

1. Relax the Dress Code

Years ago, dressing for success was all the rage. The prevailing thought was that starched white collars and expensive suits were a key element in getting a promotion or impressing that much sought after client.

But the bright, talented workers of today’s world have proven that creativity and ingenuity count far more than a silk tie. Google, Microsoft and countless other successful companies are well know for their policy of allowing workers to dress in a casual style.

Allowing workers to dress in clothes that make them most comfortable can go a long way toward promoting employee wellbeing without costing the company a cent. Dressing in a preferred outfit eliminates the type of distractions that scratchy nylons or a tight tie can cause – helping employees focus on more important aspects of their work.

It also contributes to a greater feeling of personal control and, in tough economic times, the option to wear a more casual “uniform” can also relieve the stress of having to buy an expensive wardrobe.

Relaxing the company dress code doesn’t have to mean workers can wear anything and everything. The organisation can strike a balance between maintaining a decent, respectable workplace that makes a positive impression and boosts a positive vibe among employees.

2. Discourage Gossip

One thing that can really damage wellbeing in the workplace is when employees talk negatively about other employees. Offhand comments about another employee’s dress, hairstyle, weight, or work performance can create a hostile and negative environment for the entire organisation.

This doesn’t mean honest and constructive opinions about work related issues should be stifled, but talk should remain positive and professional. Pleasant and friendly small talk should be welcomed so that employees can feel comfortable working with one another.

Constant complaints about fellow employees or talking about others behind their backs can hurt the morale of everyone involved. Maintaining a positive environment can easily be discussed at a meeting or stressed in other ways without costing the company.

3. Provide Opportunities for Physical Fitness

It stands to reason that good physical health contributes to emotional wellbeing. If we feel energised, eat healthy foods, and are free of illness or pain, we generally feel better about ourselves, and our productivity increases. Staying in good physical shape can be a challenge for anyone who regularly puts in a full work week, particularly in an office environment.

If your organisation already provides exercise equipment for employees to use during breaks, that’s a good step toward encouraging fitness. However, helping employees to stay healthy does not necessarily mean investment in expensive equipment. Simply creating an environment that supports and emphasises fitness can go a long way.

Make sure your employees have ample time to take breaks from sitting throughout the day. Provide healthy snacks during meetings. Let employees know about exercise classes near the workplace. Form an employee group to enter a 5k fun run.

The company can even provide a half-hour group fitness period at the beginning of the workday. While this may seem like thirty minutes of lost productivity, it’s actually a long-term investment. Healthier employees take fewer sick days and time off for medical appointments. They’re also more productive when working.

4. Give Employees More Autonomy

Some supervisors find it difficult to let their employees handle even the smallest projects on their own. While support and guidance of employees is needed in any organisation, no employee likes to have someone constantly looking over their shoulder.

Such micro-management can cause an atmosphere of extreme anxiety. Employee wellbeing is high when employees feel they have a relationship with the company that is based on mutual trust. It’s better to deal with individual mistakes on an individual basis as opposed to putting all employees under the microscope. This is another simple adjustment that won’t cost a cent and can increase productivity.

5. Stress ‘Team Work’ Over Hierarchy

There are few things that dampen employee morale more than feeling useless. The idea that we are simply part of the daily grind and working at a dead end job to pay the bills causes both boredom and stress.

Employees who feel they’re contributing something important to the organisation have a greater sense of wellbeing. There is no great expense involved in allowing all employees to be part of the decision making process. Asking employees for ideas and feedback creates an atmosphere of teamwork and cooperation rather than a system where one employee simply carries out orders from the one higher in the chain of command.

Even performance evaluations can be a give and take process. They can be used as an opportunity for employees to reflect on what they’ve learned and what their goals are, rather than a test that they must pass to remain employed.

Achieving greater employee wellbeing does not have to be complicated or expensive. Keeping workers happy and productive can be a simple matter of creating a healthy, positive, engaging environment.

By L.L. Crow