Companies that prioritise investing in the health and wellness of their employees are likely to see that pay off in higher productivity and performance of staff, a new survey has found.
But change needs to come from the top, and businesses should employ a strategic approach to prioritise the wellbeing of employees, the report said.
The research, analysed by Trinity College on behalf of Healthy Place to Work, found that work-life balance has become a priority for staff following the Covid-19 pandemic. Having manageable and realistic job demands is also a motivating factor for employees.
According to the research, four pillars – financial, social, physiological and physical health – can affect an employees decision to stay in their job. Aside from reducing sick leave, organisational wellness culture developed by senior leaders and managers was also linked significantly to these four aspects of employee health.
“Even if, as an organisation, the only thing you care about is the performance of profit and productivity, you should take a big interest in the health of your people because that’s what’s going to drive it and build the capacity for you to deliver,” said John Ryan, global chief executive of Healthy Place To Work.
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Company leaders should also pay close attention to organisational values, with work autonomy and manageable job demands playing a role in promoting employee health.
“For the organisations to get this right, they are the ones led by the C-suite and the CEO. But the truth is, most organisations aren’t actually getting this right,” said Mr Ryan.
Healthy Place to Work, which is a recognised global standard for workplace health certification, said the Covid-19 pandemic had been a “reality check” and a learning experience for both employers and employees. As a result, organisations need to change and adopt new ways of working to deliver maximum output and success.
“What we’re seeing is that in the pandemic, workforce health was number one, but now, it’s starting to drop because a lot of organisations are back to a ‘check box’,” said Mr Ryan. “The progressive organisations are the ones who are saying ‘actually, this is really important’.”
Healthy Place To Work certification looks at how an organisation engages employees, through a survey that covers four pillars – purpose, mental resilience, connection, and physical health. That is followed by a development plan with actionable insights that have to be met before the organisation becomes certified.
It uses an evidence-based, data driven strategic approach to organisational health and wellbeing, which helps boost the organisation’s performance in the long-run.
“This is very much a fundamental standard, that you need to actually care and look after the health of your people and the health of the system to make sure that the work isn’t damaging people’s health, and that the people coming into that organisation are actually supporting the organisation to be healthier and their colleagues too,” explained Mr Ryan.
“This is very much a fundamental measure that looks at all of the different aspects of mental health, social health, physical health, and purpose.
“There is the philosophy that you can’t actually be a healthy person if you’re going into an unhealthy workplace every single day. And equally, you can’t be a healthy workplace if you’re full of unhealthy people.”
