13 Tips to Leverage Frontline Employee Wellbeing and its Connection to a Positive Employee Experience
While frontline employee wellbeing is widely defined as the physical, emotional and economic health of an employee, this definition is at best, skin-deep. How so? In reality, employee wellbeing is a complex issue. For a start, it inter-links with issues such as workplace satisfaction and engagement levels, which are multifaceted factors. Additionally, a wide range of external, environmental and social factors also impact frontline employee wellbeing.
Successful companies view wellbeing as a cornerstone of their employee experience. Organisations with a strong wellbeing and frontline employee experience focus, have 43% lower levels of employee turnover, job satisfaction levels in excess of 50% and double-digit workplace performance gains over industry peers.
So, despite the complexities associated with wellbeing, there are definite benefits for companies. To get you started we bring you 13 top tips on how to approach wellbeing in the workplace.
1) Frontline Emlpoyee Wellbeing and Work-Life Balance
Since our work forms such an important component of our day-to-day existence, we prioritise it above all else. Companies can help employees establish work-life balance and improve their employee experience by encouraging them to:
- Set boundaries between work and personal time
- Take regular breaks at work
- Delegate tasks where possible, and
- Promote interests outside of work
2) Frontline Employee Wellbeing and Physical Health
Looking to improve the physical health of your employees? Give them encouragement by adopting the following approaches:
- Place prompts in strategic locations to encourage physical activity, such as ‘Take a Few Steps to Better Health’ close to a flight of stairs
- Encourage employees with sedentary work tasks to take regular movement breaks
3) Frontline Employee Wellbeing and Mental Health Support
Globally, 15% of working adults are struggling with mental health challenges. Identifying employees who are wrestling with these challenges is difficult for employers because of the way mental health problems are often stigmatised.
Best practice in this respect is to manage the psychosocial risks that can induce metal health challenges by ensuring employees are:
- Not under-skilled or over-skilled for their work.
- Not under- or over-promoted
- Working according to schedules that are not inordinately long, unsocial or inflexible
- Insulated from toxic and negative behaviour by workplace peers, and
- Able to confidentially access mental health assistance programmes
4) Impact of Learning and Growth on Frontline Employee Wellbeing
Employers who invest in learning and development enable their employees to hone their strengths and develop new skills. Perhaps more significant, is the importance that employees and job seekers place on development opportunities when evaluating job offers. Making learning and development a priority in your company improves employee experience, retention, and attracts top candidates.
5) Foster a Supportive Work Culture
Businesses with a supportive organisational culture tend to be successful because they know it is the sum of the individual efforts of employees, which ultimately delivers outstanding performance. These companies typically have strong two way communication channels, provide ongoing feedback on work performance to employees and have leaders who behave in a consistent and transparent manner.
6) Measure and Monitor Frontline Employee Wellbeing
Organisations that are truly committed to addressing workplace wellbeing challenges collect more than just employee self-reported data. They also connect those data points with empirical operational data to create a holistic picture. The result? A real-time measure of an organisation’s state of wellbeing that allows business leaders to quickly change direction when needed.
7) Recognise Achievements and Contributions
Have you ever wondered what the top workplace motivator is? The answer, surprisingly, is not greater levels of remuneration. Instead, research shows the one thing employees desire (five times more than money) is recognition. The reality is that for most employees nothing beats authentic recognition by their superiors and peers, for a job well done.
8) Encourage Open Communication
Building trust through open communication is the foundation of a healthy work environment. Trust is fostered when team members feel at ease expressing their thoughts and ideas openly. This trust, in turn, promotes collaboration because employees are more likely to share knowledge, offer assistance, work collaboratively towards common goals, and develop a sense of wellbeing.
9) Implement Flexible Work Arrangements
Flexible work arrangements have become increasingly popular in recent years because of the work-life balance opportunities it brings, particularly for frontline employees. Some of the benefits of this arrangement include:
- Increased employee productivity
- Reduced costs, and
- Improved employee retention
Employees are more likely to be satisfied with their jobs and stay with the company if they can work in environments that suit their needs and better balance their work and personal lives.
10) Prioritise Employee Feedback
If you think employee feedback is a nice to have, it’s time to take a fresh look at the importance of feedback. As many as 98% of workers feel that a lack of feedback is what eventually sets them on the path of disengagement. Worried that workers will take offense at feedback that rates their work poorly? Don’t be, over 65% say that negative feedback is preferable to no feedback. It’s therefore clear that feedback is a vital component of wellbeing that shouldn’t be ignored.
11) Promote Diversity and Inclusion
A diverse and inclusive workplace fosters a sense of belonging in employees, offering an enhanced sense of wellbeing, making them feel more connected and productive. Companies benefit from improvements in business results, innovation and decision-making.
12) Provide Access to Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs)
EAPs are broadly defined as: work-based intervention programs designed to assist employees in resolving personal issues that may be impairing their performance. One reason for EAPs’ growing popularity is that it that benefits both employers and employees. In particular it benefits business through:
- Improved productivity
- Reduced absenteeism
- Improved employee retention
- Increased workplace safety
13) Empower Employees Through Decision-Making
Employee engagement refers to employees’ feelings of connection to their company’s mission, vision, and objectives. Employee participation in decision making strengthens this bond. It encourages participation in actions that drive company objectives. It benefits include:
- Improved workplace innovation
- Better financial performance
- Greater loyalty, and
- Improved productivity
Key Takeaways
Employee wellbeing encompasses various dimensions, including physical, mental, and emotional health, as well as work-life balance. Companies that invest in creating a supportive work environment and implement wellbeing initiatives such as flexible work arrangements, recognising workplace initiative and ensure that employees are receiving regular performance feedback. Are placing themselves on the path to reaping long-term benefits.
Equally important in the realm of wellbeing are EAPs, harnessing the power of diversity and inclusion programs, while including employees in company decision making. Organisations that have a strong focus on wellbeing ultimately offer their employees enhanced job satisfaction, foster a positive workplace culture and reduce stress, while retaining their top talent, increasing productivity and improving operational efficiency.
Talk to an expert to get yourself on the right track with your frontline employee engagement.