Which employee wellbeing pillar are you missing out on?

4 min read

If you were sitting on a stool, and I was to pluck a leg off of it, what would happen?

Silly Lucy, you’re thinking. I’d fall over.

Of course you would, because the stool isn’t as effective without all its legs. Well, I’ve found that employee wellbeing initiatives work much in the same way: focusing on just one or two legs will cause your programme to topple.

To be successful, you need to broaden your focus to the entire stool to keep it upright and have it fulfill its original purpose.

To keep your own employee wellbeing programme “upright,” we focus on three wellbeing pillars at Reward Gateway: Financial, physical and mental.

Luckily, building your stool (programme) doesn’t have to be so difficult. Here are a few ways you can focus on your own three pillars of employee wellbeing:

First, keep a finger on the pulse of your employees’ financial wellbeing.

A recent study shows 40% of U.K. workers worry about money, reporting that financial stress affects their ability to focus and perform at work. Providing your employees with resources to manage their money and make smart money decisions will help to alleviate stress, increase their focus, and improve their overall financial wellbeing. You can even go a step further to provide an employee discounts scheme for an added benefit. 

Second, go beyond “talk the talk." Get up and “walk the walk!”

Physical inactivity is the 4th leading cause of mortality globally and has been linked to health issues such as cardiovascular disease, neck and back pain, as well as cancer. While that may sound daunting, it’s important to know, as physical wellbeing — as well as nutrition, so what you put into your body — is so crucial to employees. The answer?

Get your employees to move! In the workplace, encourage employees to stand while they take phones calls or head out of the office and conduct walking meetings. Creating blood flow to the brain is proven to have a positive impact on creative thinking and problem solving, while the walk itself is an easy way to increase physical activity at work.

Outside the office, your employees want access to gyms, health clubs, or even discounts for purchasing at-home exercise equipment. Support and empower your employees’ fitness goals by partnering with a health and fitness provider. 

Lastly, stay focused on your employees’ mental wellbeing.

One in four employees experience mental health problems each year, and many employee mental health issues go undetected by employers. Our advice is to start by expressing gratitude and encourage employee recognition, whether peer-to-peer recognition or other forms. In speaking with health coaches and psychologists, we know that employees’ confidence and self-esteem are built by positive reinforcement and recognition. You know the importance of praising your employees for a job well done. Now, go beyond a verbal commendation and send a positive email or congratulatory eCard. By reminding your employees of what makes them successful, you’ve conjured an instant self-esteem and motivation boost.

By incorporating all three of these wellbeing pillars, your programme will:

• Promote happier, healthier employees
• Reduce absenteeism
• Increase productivity
• Strengthen employees’ resistance to stress
• Support talent acquisition and retention
• Improve employee engagement

The key to creating a successful employee wellness programme is finding a partner or provider that will help you take a comprehensive, holistic approach that includes all three pillars. Reward Gateway understands the importance of engaging and reaching your entire workforce, catering to their multifaceted wellbeing needs, and building solutions that your employees will embrace.

Interested in how our wellbeing solutions can help improve employee wellbeing at your workplace? Click below to see what's available.