Top Trends In Workplace Wellness [And How You Can Use Them]

It’s no secret that workplace wellness determines the success of any business and the employees’ lifestyle. A study by Google found that employees who feel free and well at work participate actively and strive to give a top performance.

A 2019 Mind Share Partners report noted that 61% of employees say that their productivity at work is affected by their mental health. Now apply the layer of the effects on COVID on mental health: The number of adults who reported anxiety or depression quadrupled from 11% to 42% during the pandemic. So the productivity of roughly half of adults has been affected. This could be half of your employees. If you’re concerned about your company’s business, it’s crucial to ensure that your employees are healthy and happy.

This article will discuss the top four trends in workplace wellness and how you can use them to improve your business.

What is Workplace Wellness?

Workplace wellness is a term for programs and policies that aim to improve employees’ physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing. Wellness could mean representing employees in a benefits committee, planning health fairs and other events, hiring a wellness director or consultant promote and incorporate wellness. Wellness could mean ensuring that employees feel supported and healthy at work and home. Feeling heard and connected to colleagues is a major part of it too.

Either way, workplace wellness has one thing in common everywhere: employees’ happiness = employees’ success = company success.

1. Mental Health

In a world where employees have so much on their shoulders, mental health is essential to improve physical and emotional wellbeing.

Employees need more than just a yearly stress management workshop or an email with tips on how to take care of themselves outside the workplace. They need to know that you care and that your company is always concerned about their mental health. If you haven’t already, set up a framework to support their cognitive differences.

There are many mental health problems employees face today. According to a Havard Business Review, over 76% of respondents have at least one symptom of mental health condition, up from 59% in 2019. They struggle with mental health from minor anxiety to more severe conditions like depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The good news is that cultivating a workplace environment where employees feel comfortable asking for help and sharing their struggles can help them manage or overcome the anxiety or depression that might be hindering their job performance as well as personal relationships and happiness.

What can you do?
Here’s where your human resources managers can help.

Encouraging employees to use their mental health benefits
Mental health programs, such as therapy or counseling, can benefit employees struggling with mental health. However, some are hesitant to use their benefits because of the stigma. Encourage employees to use these through a culture where everyone feels comfortable discussing mental health issues.

Lead by example
Executives should share openly which mental health benefits they use or activities they do. Consider adding “meditation” or “sport” or “therapy” to your shared calendar or mention it in meetings. When leaders actively pursue mental health routines they encourage employees to do the same.

Schedule regular Check-ins
Checking up on employees helps them feel supported and connected to their work. It also helps identify potential problems before they become more significant issues and give employees a chance to voice any concerns. Check-ins also lets you stay up-to-date on employees’ progress and ensure that they meet goals. Check-ins work because when employees feel supported, they are more likely to be productive and happy.

Creating a culture that welcomes openness
When employees feel safe and comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings, they are less likely to bottle up emotions, leading to stress and anxiety. Open communication allows for transparency and trust to develop within the workforce.

The bottom line, mental health affects employees’ emotional wellbeing, job performance, colleagues, and the company. But building mental health for your employees can be a secret superpower.

2. Holistic Wellbeing

While mental health is about emotional and mental wellbeing, holistic wellbeing encourages a healthier lifestyle: mentally and physically. Holistic wellbeing means different things to different people. Still, it generally includes tools for financial stability, work-life balance, and social support systems. When it comes to financial wellness, employees need to feel control of their finances. They plan for their future and feel confident in their ability to make ends meet. Mental wellness is about having a positive outlook on life and managing stressors effectively. Employees who are mentally well can think clearly and make good decisions.

While mental health is about emotional and mental wellbeing, holistic wellbeing encourages a healthier lifestyle: mentally and physically. Holistic wellbeing means different things to different people. Still, it generally includes tools for financial stability, work-life balance, and social support systems. When it comes to financial wellness, employees need to feel control of their finances. They plan for their future and feel confident in their ability to make ends meet. Mental wellness is about having a positive outlook on life and managing stressors effectively. Employees who are mentally well can think clearly and make good decisions.

Employees need to feel connected to their community and have a support system for social wellness. They should feel accepted and safe when interacting with their peers. Employees need to feel like they can have a life outside of work; have time for themselves and their loved ones. They should also feel like they can take a break from work without feeling guilty.

What can you do?
Managers can encourage holistic wellbeing in the following ways:

Create a support system amongst peers.
Employees struggle with their mental health because of the stigma and fear of being judged. But a support system introduces them to people they can trust at work with similar experience or a solution.

Encouraging employees to be open about their mental health also encourages them to rely on each other for help, increasing retention rates.

Offer financial wellness programs
Employees may feel overwhelmed by their finances and feel like they don’t have time to plan for the future. Offering financial wellness programs can encourage employees to take control of their finances, planning for the future through budgeting or investing.

Encourage activities that fulfill social and creative needs.
Encouraging team bonding events, workshops, and creative activities are great ways to promote holistic wellbeing within the workplace. Team bonding events allow employees to get to know each other personally. Regular get-togethers help build trust, connection, and transparency within the team. They also provide a space for employees to discuss mental health and stress management techniques.

We know planning team events can be overwhelming. CraftJam offers a, turn-key solution with over 100+ virtual craft workshops (virtual and IRL). We take care of the supplies and event, and you bring your employees together to bond – at their homes or in the office.

3. Stress Management and Employee Resilience

While mental health is about emotional and mental wellbeing, holistic wellbeing encourages a healthier lifestyle: mentally and physically. Holistic wellbeing means different things to different people. Still, it generally includes tools for financial stability, work-life balance, and social support systems. When it comes to financial wellness, employees need to feel control of their finances. They plan for their future and feel confident in their ability to make ends meet. Mental wellness is about having a positive outlook on life and managing stressors effectively. Employees who are mentally well can think clearly and make good decisions.

Employees need to feel connected to their community and have a support system for social wellness. They should feel accepted and safe when interacting with their peers. Employees need to feel like they can have a life outside of work; have time for themselves and their loved ones. They should also feel like they can take a break from work without feeling guilty.

What can you do?
Managers can encourage holistic wellbeing in the following ways:

Create a support system amongst peers.
Employees struggle with their mental health because of the stigma and fear of being judged. But a support system introduces them to people they can trust at work with similar experience or a solution.

Encouraging employees to be open about their mental health also encourages them to rely on each other for help, increasing retention rates.

Offer financial wellness programs
Employees may feel overwhelmed by their finances and feel like they don’t have time to plan for the future. Offering financial wellness programs can encourage employees to take control of their finances, planning for the future through budgeting or investing.

Encourage activities that fulfill social and creative needs.
Encouraging team bonding events, workshops, and creative activities are great ways to promote holistic wellbeing within the workplace. Team bonding events allow employees to get to know each other personally. Regular get-togethers help build trust, connection, and transparency within the team. They also provide a space for employees to discuss mental health and stress management techniques.

We know planning team events can be overwhelming. CraftJam offers a, turn-key solution with over 100+ virtual craft workshops (virtual and IRL). We take care of the supplies and event, and you bring your employees together to bond – at their homes or in the office.

4. Virtual Services

Virtual services are growing, with more and more remote work. These services can be an excellent option for a more flexible work schedule and time from work. However, employers should be aware of some risks associated with virtual assistance. One such risk is that employees may feel excluded in remote work environments. Being away from colleagues can lead to feelings of isolation or exclusion, hurting employee morale.

Another risk is that employees may lack a sense of accountability without a manager watching over their work habits. Some think managers not watching all the time can lead to more time-wasting or not taking the initiative.

What can you do?
Managers should encourage face-to-face communication, even with remote work. Seeing one another, even virtually, will help employees feel connected and build trust within the team. If some of the employees work remotely, make them feel included by setting check-in times when they’re working at home. Regular appointments will help keep everyone on track and prevent any miscommunications from happening.

For more accountability, set clear expectations and encourage employees to schedule weekly virtual meetings to share goals and accomplishments.

Connect with employees personally, and build a robust equality framework into your company culture to ensure everyone is treated fairly despite their location. Establish guidelines to help set the right expectations for remote and non-remote employees, like setting check-in times, sticking to specific deadlines, and upholding open communication.

During check-in times, make sure you communicate with employees about their workloads and schedules so no one feels left out or excluded from company activities.

Role of Technology In the Future of Workplace Wellness

Technology workplace wellness has become an essential topic in the world of business. With technology becoming more prevalent in the workplace, managers and HR professionals need to incorporate it into their workplace wellness programs.

There are several ways to use technology in workplace wellness programs. For example, managers can use online tools to track employee health and productivity such as Fitbit Group Health or Oracle Life Solutions. This data can then identify areas employees could use to help and where your wellness program lacks.

In addition, managers can use technology to create interactive team challenges and events. These challenges can help improve team collaboration and communication while promoting healthy habits.

Technology also helps to create personalized wellness programs for employees. These programs can include meditation like Headspace, financial, and social services or interactive applications that provide individualized feedback. Applications like Limeade can offer customized solutions.

Check out our corporate offerings if you want to incorporate a creative piece into your workplace wellness program. CraftJam provides comprehensive craft workshops (IRL or virtual) for all businesses. Making crafting part of your workplace wellness program will help you get employees excited about their health and wellness while promoting team building and collaboration.

The Future of Workplace Wellness

The future of workplace wellness looks promising, as more and more employers are beginning to see the value in offering their employees access to wellness programs.

According to a study by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, 63% of employers offered workplace wellness programs in 2016, up from 58% in 2015. More recently, in 2019, 84% of large employers offer a wellness program. That number is only expected to continue growing in the years to come.

So why are workplace wellness programs becoming so popular?

There are several reasons, but one of the biggest is that they make good business sense.

Not only do workplace wellness programs help employees stay healthy and productive, but they can also lead to significant cost savings for employers. The same study by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans found that employers can see an average return on investment of $3.21 for every dollar they spend on wellness programs.

Savings are only one part of the equation. Creating a positive impact in people’s lives is at the core of what drives many employers to offer their employees access to workplace wellness programs.

Conclusion

There’s no doubt that workplace wellness programs can help organizations attract and retain top talent. But what is the truth about their effectiveness? Is it just a feel-good benefit that falls by the wayside when budgets get tight?

Research shows tangible bottom-line benefits to managing health risk factors in the workplace and a host of other positive and monetary returns. The key to getting the most out of your workplace wellness program is to think beyond “wellness” and take a more holistic approach. It’s not just about reducing risk factors but also fostering resilience in employees, teaching them how to stay healthy, improve their productivity and prevent burnout. Managing employee health risks is only the first step. A successful wellness program builds on empathy and trust. Employees feel valued and bring their best selves to work every day.