The importance of workplace wellbeing
Running a business, whether large or small, carries many responsibilities, but perhaps one of the most important, and one which is easy to overlook, is the health and wellbeing of both you and your staff. Mental health, in particular, is very important as it promotes general wellbeing, as well as boosting productivity and professionalism within the business, helping to boost morale and performance.
It's all about having time to focus on yourself and the members of your team. Here, we look at some of the ways you can promote workplace wellbeing, with some simple tips and suggestions.
Be aware
It’s important to be aware of what is happening in the present moment. Studies have shown that savouring the moment has direct benefits on wellbeing, helping to reaffirm life priorities. The advice is to take notice of what is happening around you as a means of strengthening and broadening awareness.
Stay active
Regular exercise and physical activity can help to lower depression and feelings of anxiety, whatever your age, helping to slow down age-related cognitive decline and improve feelings of wellbeing. Sport England have produced an Active Employer Toolkit (https://www.sportengland.org/funds-and-campaigns/active-employee-toolkit) which gives lots of ideas for employees to stay active and build movement into their working days, helping to promote mental health, enhance immunity and aid concentration.
Keep in touch
Connecting with others and staying in touch fulfils a basic human need to be valued by other people, helping you to function in the world around you. This can take many forms, from getting involved with team sports or joining an exercise class to attending a networking event or doing a regular quiz evening. Whatever the event, it provides an opportunity to be social, make friends and connect with others.
Upskill
Learning a new skill or developing an existing skill helps to enhance self-esteem, promoting social interaction and encouraging a more active life. Whether this involves learning a new sport, attending an arts & craft class, joining a choir or acquiring knowledge, it will boost personal growth and enjoyment of life, as well as providing an opportunity to meet other like minded people.
Help others
Research has shown that those who perform an act of kindness at least once a week enjoy increased wellbeing and happiness, with those who help others being more likely to describe themselves as happy. Volunteering is a good way to do this, helping you to focus on the needs of others, rather than yourself.
TMD – committed to employee wellbeing
At TMD, we take the subject of mental health and the wellbeing of our staff very seriously, and have rolled out the R;pple initiative within our organisation. This is an interceptive software tool designed to intervene when people are at their most vulnerable. Caroline Moone is our Mental Health First Aider and is always on hand for the benefit of our employees, should they need it.
We’d encourage anyone experiencing feelings of anxiety to get active, take up regular exercise and connect with friends and family, rather than turn to unhealthy coping strategies, such as increased consumption of alcohol and smoking.
Full time workers spend around one third of their day at work and long periods of sedentary behaviour can impact health and performance. Public Health England1 recommends doing 150 minutes of physical activity each week as a means of increasing energy, improving sleep and maintaining strength. It is also better for business, with physically active workers taking 27% fewer sick days2 and improving performance, morale, teamwork and concentration.
Sources
1.gov.uk: Workplace health needs assessment
2.gov.uk: Working for a healthier tomorrow
fsb.org.uk: Getting started with workplace wellness