One of the main ways in which companies can save money within their business is by improving employees’ attendance records. Of course, you will get some members of staff who rock up at work come rain or shine whether they are really fit to work or not. However, you may also find that you have some staff members with persistent absence records. Sure, you get some people who are in between as well, and this tends to be the group who need more support when it comes to their health.
Here are seven ways to improve care within your company for your employees’ health, thus having a huge benefit on the efficiency of your operations.
Offer more flexibility
If the global pandemic has taught us anything, it is probably that most workers can do more than we ever thought from home, even juggling home education alongside their paid employment in many cases. Flexibility when it comes to working location and hours could be key to improving some of your staff members’ mental health and wellbeing. Sometimes, having the opportunity to work from home when a child is sick or waiting for a plumber to fix a leak could improve someone’s life significantly.
Likewise, being able to start a little later one morning a week, allowing the staff member to take a child to work or visit an elderly relative in a care home could help ease the pressure, too. As long as the employees complete their work and do the right amount of hours, employers should be far more flexible and support this new way of working.
Offer more praise
When it comes to feedback, some employers can find it far easier to reprimand a colleague for something they have not done or something they have not successfully completed rather than praising efforts for a job well done or a satisfied customer. Actually, both aspects are important and valuable.
However, if a member of staff feels bombarded with criticism, they are likely to feel downhearted about the situation and perhaps even start to struggle with their mental health. Praise staff members on a regular basis. It doesn’t matter how big or small the success is, sharing it with them and perhaps others can reinforce their value within your company. A boost to one’s self-esteem can work wonders for someone’s mental health and wellbeing, too.
Encourage more healthy food and drink
Most bosses have been guilty of rewarding staff performance or celebrating occasions by bringing cake or donuts into the office to share around. This is great and no doubt makes people feel grateful and appreciated. However, for some people, this may be reinforcing the negative relationship they have with food. Supplying a fruit basket, for example, could be a better option.
Similarly, consider installing a water dispenser rather than a coffee machine. Of course, helping staff members with their healthy eating and drinking is not something that is an easy subject to broach and it is imperative to tread carefully. Never ever ever should it be mentioned to someone that you brought fruit instead of cake because of Fiona’s weight problem, for example.
Be more open
Things go wrong in the workplace. It is impossible to avoid, though of course there are measures that can be taken to minimize the risk of something terrible happening. Unfortunately, it is just the way of the world and can often be out of our hands that accidents and incidents happen.
Being open and transparent with your workers as soon as you discover that something has gone wrong is imperative to keeping them up to date with any developments that could impact their health. The CPAP lawsuit, where people’s health has been severely impacted by a product used within ventilator machines, is one such example of where it is essential for the people at the top of the company to share concerns with its staff in order for them to be able to take the necessary steps as early as possible.
Be more social
Many businesses are keen to encourage their staff members to mix with one another to improve teamwork and wellbeing. Often, social opportunities could consist of a meal out in a restaurant or some drinks after work. Instead, consider setting up a social soccer team or a walking club for anyone who’d like to join. This could take place after work or perhaps during a lunch break. Social opportunities mixed with increased activity levels are win-win for companies and their employees. You may even wish to enter team events, such as charity runs, swims or obstacle courses.
Know more about your employees
Getting to know your employees and their individual needs can be highly impactful when it comes to improving health and wellbeing in your company. Being aware of any potential conflict between members of staff and any challenging situations that your staff may be facing at home can change the way in which you deal with any conversations you may need to have with these people.
Understanding what is happening can certainly influence the amount of empathy you demonstrate and employees could, as a result, feel far more important to the company, thus showing more loyalty in future. Likewise, if a member of staff has shared that they are autistic, it would be worth learning more about how to be an inclusive workplace as well as helping all employees to understand and adapt their practices, communication included, to help.
Offer more benefits
The best businesses to work for are the ones who support workers’ health by offering decent benefits. The worry for so many people across the country surrounding having to pay medical bills is huge and can impact the work your workers are able to carry out.
Rather than adding to their concern, ensure that they have health insurance as standard when they have worked for you for a set period of time. Not only will your employees be appreciative of this, but they will also be less likely to take large amounts of time off work due to being able to have treatment earlier without fear of huge debts. Again, this can help employee retention, too.
