Why Do We Need a Corporate Wellbeing Plan?

Why Do Companies Need A Corporate Wellbeing Programme?

Imagine the scenario.

Beeeeeep. The alarm goes off, its 7am.

Somewhere, a dog is loudly barking.

The bin lorry is making a racket outside.

You ignore it and stretch out lazily, excited that it’s the weekend and you can have a long-awaited lie-in followed by a slothful morning in front of the tv.

But then realisation hits.

It’s not Saturday morning.

It’s actually a grey and miserable Thursday.

And you need to get up and go to work.

The first response, here, is that many people at this point will shrug their shoulders, think ‘oh well’ and get up anyway, not in the least bothered by a prospect of a day at work with colleagues, tasks and responsibilities.

It’s just the daily grind. No biggie.

The second response, for some others, is that there is an all too familiar feeling of dread creeping into the pit of their stomach.

Not work again. I can’t face it today.

For what could be a number of reasons (overwhelmed, depressed, anxious, feeling burnt out, lack of motivation to name just a few) this person is struggling.

Likely they’ll either think of a reason to call in sick, or if they manage to make it into work, they’ll be withdrawn, unproductive, and suffering inner turmoil.

And this daily dilemma is more common than you might think.

A recent report found that 52% of all workers are feeling burned out and emotionally exhausted. A 2020 Gov UK & Deloitte joint study indicated that poor mental health among employees cost UK employers between £42bn - £45bn each year.

Broken down into absence costs of around £7bn, presenteeism costs of £27 - £29bn and turnover costs of around £9bn.

And if that was the case in 2020, we dread to think what the costs are now.

On average, we spend one-third of our lives at work.

So, what can companies do to increase the chances of their employee responding positively to the situation described above?

Fortunately, there is a huge amount you can do to help – with 100’s of different wellness initiatives, products and solutions out there.

(We know it can be a bit overwhelming knowing where to start – drop us a line if we can help out.

Let’s look at how and why a corporate wellbeing programme is important.

What Is Employee Wellbeing?

Employee Wellbeing. Corporate Wellbeing. Workplace Wellness.

Same, same but different.

They are all the processes, systems and initiatives of how an employer looks after the physical and mental health of their employees, for their short-term and long-term happiness, success and growth

And it’s not just physical and lifestyle factors. There are other important areas of wellbeing - social, environmental, emotional, financial, intellectual and even spiritual.

A happy, healthy employee is going to be more productive, more reliable and more successful both at home and at work.

This in turn has a positive impact on the performance and success of their teams, departments and ultimately the entire company.

Workplace wellbeing can refer to every aspect of your working life – including things like being able to take a full lunch break without feeling pressured, or even how cold the temperature is in the office.

Why Is Employee Wellbeing Important?

• Someone who enjoys going to work is going to do better work, more consistently.
  

• Someone who feels supported and valued by their company is going to be better able to cope with everyday life.

• Someone who gets along with their colleagues is going to collaborate better and be more engaged.
  

• Someone who has a good work-life balance is more likely to find time to take care of themselves for improved health and quality of life.
  

• Someone who is proud of where they work is more likely to stay loyal and stay longer.
  

• Someone who is looking after themselves physically and mentally is going to require less sickness absence.
  

• Someone who relishes the opportunities given to them by their employer is going to be more invested in their overall work and performance.
  

• Someone who is given the opportunities and support to thrive has every chance to succeed.
  

• A company with happy workmates is going to have a better brand reputation and corporate image.
  

So Why Do We Need A Corporate Wellbeing Programme?

Fact of The Day: Only 40% of businesses in the UK have an employee-wellbeing programme in place.

We’ll say that again.

Only 40% of businesses in the UK have an employee-wellbeing programme in place.

When you go to the supermarket without an idea of what you need or even a vague shopping list, it’s always chaotic. You’ll come home with bags full of food but not actually anything to make a substantial meal with.

Similarly, when you go to the gym without some sort of game plan - it’s a disaster. You’re likely to jump between machines/exercises, in a haphazard fashion, with no structure or change of progression. Apparently 👀

When you need results, everything is better with a plan.  It’ll save you time, money and effort.

And employee wellbeing is no different.

Some kind of corporate wellbeing programme or strategy will not only give you an actionable sequence of events to follow, but you’ll also be able to communicate this to employees as well as report on impact and engagement to other relevant stakeholders.

Every successful company is built on motivated, productive and healthy staff.

Here are some benefits you can expect when you get employee wellbeing right, versus problems you may encounter when it’s not quite working.

Get your strategy lined up and you’ll be enjoying a happier, more productive workplace in no time. Not to mention making a real, positive difference to your employees' lives.