Workplace Wellbeing – The benefits to your business

Creating an environment at work that promotes health living and wellbeing can have major benefits; for both business and your employees.

In 2013/2014, 28.2 million days were lost due to work-related health or injury. The cost of ‘presenteeism’ (where an employee attends work when unwell) is thought to affect UK businesses twice as much as absenteeism.

While you may be thinking, “I can’t tell my staff how to exercise and live their lives” promoting small changes at work can have a big impact.

Here are just a few ideas:

• Up the price of items in your work vending machine to fund free fruit for your employees
• Offer a cycle to work schemes (remember Employers save NI on this benefit)
• Organise a team step challenge (you can buy pedometers for less than £2)
• Fund or part fund flu jobs for your employees
• Natural light has a big impact, so open the blinds and buy a SAD light for your staff room/break out area.

Also remember to make time to talk and listen to your staff – a problem/challenge shared really can be a problem halved where stress is concerned.

Whatever approach or methods you choose to promote workplace wellbeing you are likely to be rewarded with a more motivated, engaged and committed workforce.

Our HR Director, Linda Jodrell discusses how Citation takes account of workplace wellbeing,

“Studies show that happier people are less stressed and perform to a higher standard. Engagement is a big focus for us and wellbeing is one part of that. A smile is contagious so we encourage people to spread their smiles around the company. Some of the wellbeing measures we implement here are the cycle to work scheme, the ability to purchase extra holidays, a running club led by one our colleagues which goes out after work three times a week.

Importantly one of our key values is that we listen. This means that we give each other time and you can’t put a price on the value of that from a wellbeing perspective.”