Building The 5 Pillars of Employee Well-Being

According to a study by Deloitte, prioritizing employee-wellbeing leads to a happier workforce. Happy employees are more productive, engaged, and creative. While employee well-being is often associated with positive feelings, it encompasses much more than just that. 
When hiring, companies often struggle with determining what’s more crucial: the right mindset, skill set, or toolset. For new companies, a combination of mindset and skill set works well. As a company grows, a mix of skill sets and toolsets may prove more effective for execution.  

Therefore, when hiring, look for candidates with a combination of qualities that align with your company’s stage. You can develop the other aspects in them once they have been hired. 

To develop the right mindset and skills in employees, focus on the five pillars of employee well-being: physical, emotional, social, financial, and career well-being. These pillars create the right environment to develop the right mindset, skill set, and toolset. By emphasising employee well-being in all its facets, companies can create a positive work culture that fosters employee growth and productivity. 

 

Understanding the 5 pillars of employee well-being. 

Knowing the five pillars of employee well-being will make your workplace the gold standard for employee happiness.  

1. Physical well-being

Physical well-being encompasses all physical aspects of the workplace, including work environment, physical fitness, healthy habits, and nutrition. Here are a few steps to support employee physical wellness: 

• Providing access to healthy food options, such as healthy snack choices in vending machines, an affordable healthy cafeteria or break room, and wellness programs that include nutrition education and cooking classes. 

• Encouraging physical activity by providing standing desks, arranging walking or exercise breaks, and offering on-site fitness classes. 

• Offering resources for preventing and managing illness and injury, such as on-site health clinics, vaccinations, and access to health and safety training. 

2. Emotional well-being

Emotional well-being involves emotional and mental health, including stress management, work-life balance, and social support. Here are some things that leaders can do to support emotional well-being: 

• Offering counselling or mental health support through employee assistance programs (EAPs) that include counselling services or referrals to mental health professionals. 

• Providing flexible work arrangements such as job sharing to help employees manage work and life, reduce stress, and improve well-being. 

• Fostering social support by implementing team-building exercises, company culture activities, social events, or volunteering opportunities. 

3. Social well-being

Social well-being includes all social aspects of the workplace, such as relationships and interactions. Leaders should implement team-building exercises and activities that promote a positive workplace culture that imbibes respect, trust, and teamwork. Other things that companies can do to support social well-being include: 

• Offering opportunities for social interaction and connection outside of work, such as social events, mixers or volunteering opportunities. 

• Improving communication by encouraging people to talk to each other with ease, which will help build trust and respect in the workplace. 

4. Financial well-being

Financial well-being includes aspects like saving and managing money. Companies can support employees with their financial well-being by: 

• Providing access to financial education through workshops, seminars, or one-on-one coaching to help employees develop good financial habits and make smarter financial decisions. 

• Offering adequate insurance and healthcare benefits to ensure a medical emergency doesn’t dent their financial planning or savings.   

• Helping employees plan for retirement by offering resources such as a pension plan to help employees know how much money they will need to save up by the time they retire. 

• Offering financial perks, such as good bonuses and compensation, to help employees manage their money and improve their overall financial stability. 

5. Career well-being

Career well-being is all about feeling good about one’s job and career prospects, including how one feels about their work, work-life balance, and career development. Companies can support career well-being by: 

• Offering opportunities for career development, such as training, coaching, or mentoring, to help employees learn new skills and improve their careers. 

• Providing opportunities for career growth by giving employees challenging opportunities to move up in the ladder. 

• Offering flexible work arrangements such as work from home, flexible schedules, or fewer work hours to help employees manage work and personal responsibilities and improve their overall well-being. 

• Creating a positive work environment by fostering communication, rewarding good work, and offering opportunities to work together on projects.

In conclusion  

Ensuring the well-being of employees is crucial for any company. Investing in their happiness can create a better work environment and culture. A healthier workplace can provide employees with the skills and tools they need to contribute to the company’s success, and can help foster a growth mindset. Ultimately, this can lead to more satisfied clients and increased productivity. 

At Onsurity, we value employee well-being as a core principle. If all these positive benefits sound like something you’d want for your business, get in touch with us! 

  

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