How Wellness Drives Business

It is no secret that engaged employees perform better. But what about engaged employees who are thriving in all areas of life, in and outside of the workplace? Thriving employees are of tremendous value to an organization. Gallup tests engaged employees across five elements of overall wellbeing in the context of the workplace: career, social, physical, financial, and community. 

Thriving employees have 53% fewer missed days due to health issues and substantially lower disease burden due to depression and anxiety diagnosis, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attack and chronic pain.

Also, employees who are thriving are:

• more than twice as likely to say they adapt well to change
• 81% less likely to seek out a new employer in the next year
• 41% less likely to miss work due to poor health
• 36% more likely to recover fully after illness, injury or hardship
• 27% less likely to have changed jobs in the previous 12 months

How can employers cultivate employee wellbeing? 

Surprisingly (or maybe not surprisingly), small adjustments by employers can have a huge impact on each element of employee wellbeing–even on the individual level. In fact, programs dedicated to wellness can improve retention. The first obvious element that employers can impact is career wellbeing. Be clear, kind, and communicate your commitment to employees frequently. Particularly during rough economic times, most employees simply need reassurance and clear forward direction. They may too need reassurance in the organization’s economic future during a crisis. 

Be clear and honest about the financial future of the company as crises develop. Doing so will alleviate stress on your team as it provides the clarity necessary for employees to fulfill the financial element of wellbeing (having a good relationship with money, which has a positive impact on life experiences). In order to promote community wellbeing, exercise organizational values. Connect employees with community outreach organizations and donate to support your business’s local causes. As another example of values’ positive impact on employee engagement, putting them into practice builds trust, engagement, and a strong workplace culture. Physical wellbeing is a critical component of any wellness initiative. It’s beneficial to provide relevant physical wellbeing resources as employees who are physically active and have the chance to exercise during the work week have less stress, lower health costs, and are more productive and alert. Even if an onsite gym is not an option, encourage screen time breaks and walks for a noticeable uptick in morale.  

These simple human needs to thrive can have a tremendous impact on performance, if addressed. The measurable improvement on engagement and performance will also, in turn, bolster company culture for a resilient future.