Wellness in the Workplace: Initiatives to Revitalise the Office

We all know that happy employees equal happy customers. So when you have an opportunity to boost the mood of your employees, helping them be more creative and productive, why not take it?

Wellbeing initiatives are one of the most tangible ways that an organisation can play a role in the wellbeing and mental health of its employees. Offering a range of different options can ensure that employees feel valued and fulfilled, in turn creating a happy, healthy workforce.

What impact does wellbeing have?

It’s not only mental health that wellbeing can have an impact on, but motivation, productivity and stress levels, too. According to research by Mates in Mind, employee absence due to sickness can cost employers around £8.4 billion a year, whereas presenteeism, or reduced productivity at work, can cost £15.1 billion every year.

Engaging your employees with initiatives both inside and out of the office can foster a shared sense of purpose, providing opportunities for new bonds and boosted morale throughout the business. So, with that in mind, here are four simple yet effective initiatives to help you revitalise your workforce.

1. Encourage physical activity

Keeping fit and adopting healthy habits is a great way to reduce stress and help your employees keep a level head. Research shows that getting moving, no matter what form it’s in, can really help you de-stress. So, why not try introducing a variety of different activities for staff to get involved in?

Whether it’s a half hour yoga session during lunch or an after-work running club, giving opportunities to help your employees get moving can really improve their overall mood and mental health. We all know that exercise is good for the body, but the feel-good endorphins released when we get moving really make a difference to our outlook on the day.

 If you have a less fitness-focused workforce, even getting everyone out for a lunchtime walk can make the world of difference. Walking for half an hour every day really helps reduce tension, boost enthusiasm and relax the brain. In turn, all of this helps staff to be more productive when they’re back at their desks and boosts the flow of creativity for the rest of the day.

2. Offer flexible working

For many employees, having a good work-life balance is the key to happiness within a role. Whether they work full time or part time, making sure that your staff have time to wind down, see friends and family and pursue hobbies is essential.

Working around an unforgiving work schedule can often get in the way of a work-life balance, whereas flexible working can help employees feel valued, appreciated and trusted. Offering a reasonable flexible or remote working schedule gives your workforce the opportunity to take a breather when they need it, but still enables them to be just as productive as ever. In fact, three quarters of employees are more productive when working remotely, with just under a third managing to get more work done in less time.

3. Enable team activities

Putting on activities that the whole workforce can get involved with is a great way to build connections between employees who wouldn’t usually socialise together. Team building tasks that require collaboration are the best way to get individuals communicating, helping them build trust. In the end, you might even see a heightened level of motivation around the office, as staff will be more committed to working towards shared goals.

Starting a sports team or putting on a Pub Quiz evening are a simple yet great way to get individuals together, but organising events for charity or putting on a karaoke night are also great ideas to foster team spirit.

4. Promote mindfulness

Practicing mindfulness is one of the most effective methods of reducing stress, anxiety and depression. Enabling employees to improve their awareness of different aspects of life and their importance facilitates positive emotions and harnesses creativity.

We’ve all heard of office dogs, but have you ever considered letting your employees bring their other furry friends to work? Bring your pet to work days are a firm favourite for many, and research actually shows that having a pet around can benefit your mental health.

One other thing that can influence your mental health is music. That’s because it is considered a natural antidepressant, as listening to music causes the release of dopamine which is the hormone that can make us feel happy.

Playing music via a workplace licensed streaming service in the office is one way that really boosts wellbeing on the whole too, as it can also have an impact in reducing stress, and can make employees more productive which can benefit both your employees and the business as a whole.

Using wellbeing initiatives to boost the mood of your employees is a great way to improve productivity within the organisation and attract new talent. Showing your staff that you care about their wellbeing is vital, illustrating that you value their time at appreciate their work, inspiring respect and trust throughout the organisation.