5 ways to make employee wellbeing your priority

By Emily Roach, Paws in Work guest blogger.

1. treat mental health first aid the same as physical first aid.

It’s compulsory for all employees to learn physical first aid within the workplace, why aren’t the rules the same for mental health? It is hoped soon that things are going to shift in the right direction regarding mental health first aid. Why not give your employees a head start by signing the whole team up to a mental health first aid course? We work with MHFA England and provide companies with extensive knowledge on how to become a fully-fledged mental health first aider. Mental health first aid courses will allow employees to help one-another in their time of need, as well as recognising early signs of someone who’s experiencing a mental health decline.

2. encourage physical wellness.

Physical health can alter the state of employee happiness, so it’s important to recognise the value of this. Encourage your employees to take a break, whether they’re sat at a desk or their job is physical, they need regular breaks from their workstations if possible. By telling your employees to take a pause and soak in the sunshine (or fresh air at least), you’re making them feel valued and cared for.

Introducing initiatives such as walking or cycling to work to improve physical health are great for motivating the team to collectively work on their physical wellbeing. Providing your team with fresh fruit and other healthy snacks can boost the overall mood. Especially when some employees have stressful commutes and subsequently skip breakfast, the most important meal of the day! It’s great for employees to feel that they have breathing space and are able to stretch their legs if they feel like it. It’s not ideal for employees to be glued to their desks until the working day is over, this doesn’t constitute a happy working environment. For desk roles, you could consider investing in standing desks to give employees the option whether they wish to sit or stand whilst working. This helps greatly with preventing poor posture which is caused by sitting down for extended periods of time.

3. fun, fun, fun.

Creating a fun and light-hearted atmosphere at work can have such a positive impact on employees. This can be done through casual dress, (of course important meetings are an exception), but allowing employees to dress the way they want gives them the freedom to express themselves. Having some music playing lightly in the background is a good mood booster and will help increase productivity.

You can also organise team bonding events, such as our puppy therapy sessions, as well as planning trips away to strengthen the relationship with your employees and show that you want to share experiences with them outside of work.

Regular work socials are also a fun way of showing the team you care about them not just as employees. Why not introduce weekly or biweekly team lunches or dinners, allowing employees to catch up over a nice meal? Plus, it’s something for the team to look forward to!

4. work-life balance.

The pandemic has certainly proven that companies can function remotely when required to. Some employees preferred working within the comfort of their own homes, whereas others felt they’re more productive in the workplace. The key is to introduce balance, or at least give employees the option to work from home where possible, should they want to. This can take the pressure off many employees who dread their daily commute or for those who simply like working from home. It will also show the trust you have in your employees to work from wherever they wish and still deliver on their tasks. Giving employees the option to work from home can also help with preventing workplace burn out.

5. reward hard work.

Recognising hard work amongst employees is needed for making them feel appreciated. Many employees leave the workplace due to feeling undervalued, so it’s imperative to show that you appreciate the work they do. Introducing incentives to help employees reach their goals will increase enthusiasm for the work they do; this may raise some healthy competition within the team! Whether it’s a meal at their favourite restaurant or a spa break in the countryside, show your employees that they will be rewarded for hitting their targets.

our training courses.

If you’d like your team to learn how to become mental health first aiders, hugely benefitting mental wellbeing at the workplace, then sign up with us today! We’d love to help you achieve this through our range of courses to bring your team closer together, whilst emphasising the importance of mental health resources in the workplace. Additionally, you can treat your team to a huge boost of serotonin with our face to face or virtual puppy therapy sessions! We look forward to working with you.