Today’s employees want to feel like their employer cares about them physically, socially, mentally, financially and more… In this week’s blog, we share 19 ways you can show employees you care about them and improve well-being in the workplace.
At WebMD Health Services, we know that when employees feel better, they do better—which translates to a positive impact on employee retention, engagement, and ultimately, the bottom line. But, to achieve these results, we can’t just provide support for one aspect of well-being. We must consider the support we provide for all the dimensions of well-being—physical, mental health, financial, social, and work.
Here are 19 suggestions for incorporating these dimensions into your workplace well-being strategy:
Physical well-being.
1. Create a healthy work environment.
A good well-being culture is like a surround-sound audio experience—reminders of the importance of well-being are everywhere. This includes team and individual-based wellness challenges; walking meetings; healthy food options; permission to block time to focus on physical activity; health assessments; and biometric screenings.
2. Provide access to fitness programs and apps.
Fitness center discounts, stipends to purchase at-home fitness equipment, and virtual fitness programs remain popular. Our Wellbeats solution offers over 1,400 instructor-led virtual classes that cover fitness, nutrition, and mindfulness. Our digital classes are led by our certified health coaches and are a great way to learn about health topics that matter to you such as yoga, strength training and strategies to manage stress.
3. Help with healthy eating.
A well-rounded well-being program includes nutritional support based on an individual’s needs and interests. WebMD Health Coaches discuss healthy food options, start weight management programs, and even talk through behaviors and barriers that can help change the way people think about food. Our Daily Habits Balance Your Diet plan, helps individuals learn how to make nutrition work for their lifestyle.
4. Promote good sleep.
Getting a good night’s sleep is key for both mental and physical health, but so many of us struggle with insomnia and interrupted sleep. Offer education and tools to help individuals focus on sleep, including tips for a wind-down routine, optimal sleeping temperature, and when to nix the screens. Many well-being programs have a sleep program you can promote.
Mental health.
5. Openly discuss mental health.
The more we talk about mental health, the more we normalize it as an important part of our overall health. Both leaders and managers should feel comfortable discussing mental health at all-employee forums and during team meetings. Equip managers with the tools to spot signs of stress and burnout on their team, and encourage all leaders to role model good mental health behaviors. Taking mental health days and establishing boundaries between work and personal life are just two ways leaders can be good role models.
6. Market your Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
Chances are you’ve already got an EAP—you may just need to re-market it and promote its services: free mental health counseling sessions for employees and families, help with finances, managing stress, child and elder care locator services, and more. We recommend creating an EAP one-pager that lists the most important things employees need to know and sharing it via email, direct mail, meetings, and other communications. If you have a well-being platform, be sure to promote your EAP as a benefit resource to keep it top of mind for employees and family members.
7. Offer multiple ways to receive mental health support.
Not everyone has the time or the desire to see a mental health counselor in person. Offer a range of ways to get help: in person, virtually, via text or app. If you currently have a well-being program, check to see which mental health solutions they offer. For example, in addition to our mental health podcasts, stress coach specialists, and Daily Habits plans, we partner with third-party vendors and solutions to offer specific services our clients are looking for.
Financial well-being.
8. Provide access to financial education.
Finance fundamentals like how to set up and stick to a budget, how to create a long-term savings plan, concepts like interest rates and the time value of money, and other finance-related topics can empower employees and help alleviate financial stress. Financial well-being is a key dimension to supporting overall well-being. Be sure you communicate often about your offering.
9. Offer debt counseling.
This could include assistance with consolidating debt, establishing a plan to pay it down, and education on interest rates and budgeting to help employees avoid future debt. It also helps employees cope with the stigma and stress of being in debt.
10. Provide financial coaching.
Financial coaching helps employees experiencing an immediate financial crisis set goals for the future and improve their current financial situation. If you have a 401(k) program, ensure employees know about coaching resources they may provide.
11. Consider student loan debt assistance.
Whether it’s a student loan repayment assistance program that helps pay down debt or a student loan consolidation program, these offerings not only help alleviate financial stress but also serve as a retention tool.
Social well-being.
12. Use in-office time to connect and collaborate.
If your organization maintains a hybrid schedule, make sure the days everyone is in the office are full of connection and collaboration. Schedule lunches or team-building activities on these days to allow for meaningful engagement with coworkers.
13. Leverage technology to strengthen bonds.
Slack, Microsoft Teams and other collaboration tools provide a platform for people to easily connect whether they are in the office, working remotely, or in a different time zone altogether. A communications feed within your well-being platform can provide regular updates encouraging continuous interaction, making engagement a routine rather than a one-time activity. It’s great way to provide content and connections delivered by health coaches, well-being teams and participants.
14. Encourage authenticity.
Allow people to bring their authentic selves to work. Encourage employees to connect with one another as whole, not just in terms of the role they play at work. These could include coffee meet-ups, after-work events, or volunteering activities.
15. Lean into mentorship.
Pair colleagues with those who have more experience to foster connection and help workers increase their skills as well as their network of coworkers and friends.
16. Sponsor a volunteer event.
Plan an event that gives the team a chance to bond while doing good. Schedule activities that match your company’s mission or sustainability goals or find a local organization with whom you can develop an ongoing relationship.
Work well-being.
17. Infuse well-being into the workday.
Well-being can’t be seen as something employees engage in when they have free time; it must be encouraged during work hours and incorporated into the flow of the workday. Consider: prompts to stretch or walk between meetings; time in the day to connect with colleagues; mental health minutes at the beginning of team meetings; flexibility to meet family demands.
18. Reflect well-being in performance management practices.
Hold managers accountable for well-being on their team by including goals in performance plans and incorporating the importance of well-being into leadership training. Also encourage employees to include a well-being goal in their own performance plan.
19. Encourage leaders and managers to model healthy behaviors.
Leadership participation and transparency in well-being really does matter. Leaders set the tone for the entire organization and their commitment to employee well-being can make all the difference. When leaders and managers prioritize well-being in their lives—like setting boundaries and managing stress—it signals to employees that their health and happiness matter and they should feel permission to do the same.
Supporting all dimensions of employee well-being.
WebMD Health Services’ solutions are designed to recognize and leverage the power of holistic well-being to support employees on their well-being journeys. If you’d like help learning how your organization can support all the dimensions of employee well-being, contact us at connect@webmd.net or book a demo today.
