Work-life balance is something that many of us are mindful of these days, and have been for some time, but what about workplace wellness?
As a business owner, do you have a wellness program in place for your staff? Or perhaps some wellness principles that you espouse within your organisation that promote the health and wellbeing of your employees and your company culture?
We’re all familiar with the notion that a happy staff is a productive staff and wellness at work is a core element to that fundamental thought – not only for you as the business owner, but for your employees’ happiness, productivity and sense of worth and pride in their role and your company.
What is workplace wellness?
Wellplace.nz describes a healthy workplace as one that puts the health and wellbeing of its people at the center of everything it does. One that does the following:
- values its people and promotes trust
- promotes and encourages good relationships and collaboration
- has good communication with and between all levels of staff, and is open and transparent
- wants its people to be creative, and encourages innovation
- is aware of, and flexible about, changing work-life commitments and balance
- is aware of different cultures and religions, and supports a diverse workforce
- encourages a healthy lifestyle, does what it can to make the healthy choice the easy choice.
How do I create a wellness program for my business?
Any Google search of workplace wellness programs will offer you a myriad of ideas that you could consider for your business.
A good approach is to build the program with your staff. That way you know the program is something they will value and they will also value being involved in the process – it’s good for your credibility as a leader.
Spend time with your staff and consider the current health of your workplace, what’s working well, where the gaps are and where improvements could be made. Set some goals and actions and ask for volunteers to follow through with tasks.
It’s a team effort.
But it doesn’t stop there.
Workplace wellness should sit on the team meeting agenda and be discussed regularly. Check in on progress, how people are feeling, what’s working and what still needs to be modified.
Over time it will embed itself into the company culture.
