Companies have been trying to one up each other when it comes to job perks for a long time. From endless gourmet snacks and gym passes to on-site massages, laundry, and barber services, organisations used to try to differentiate themselves with fun and quirky benefits - not to mention market them heavily in order to attract new talent and improve their employer brands.
Employee expectations are changing (and so they should)
But then the COVID-19 pandemic happened, and things changed. It became painfully clear that our work and personal lives are undeniably intertwined, while our endless quest for work-life balance” became more elusive than ever (if not a bit of an illusion altogether). On top of that, the pandemic shed light on just how much people were suffering from burnout on a global scale - and how support for mental health issues in the workplace just isn't up to par.
Inevitably, this caused a seismic shift when it comes to what employees expect from their workplaces moving forward. The perks of the past just address the symptoms of burnout and poor health, rather than tackling the root issues. Recent studies show that rather than ping pong tables and free goodie bags, young workers place a whole lot more value on things like:
- being treated with respect at work
- well-trained managers who nurture their teams
- flexible working models
- healthy communication styles
- mental and physical healthcare support
Organisations are transforming in response to this mindset shift, reshaping their benefits packages in response to the increased need for a culture of care in the workplace. But why is this so vitally important?
Why is a culture of care important for workplaces?
According to Gallup's Global Emotions Report, Global stress levels are at an all-time high. If the psychological and economic effects of a prolonged pandemic weren't enough, we are now dealing with new wars, a cost of living crisis, and supply chain issues that have significant effects on our daily lives. These stressors are also taking their toll on businesses and their employees, with organisations reporting a decrease in productivity, difficulty with retention, and mental health issues across the board.
That's why creating a culture of care in the workplace is more important than ever. Across industries, people have been pushed to their breaking point and they won't be able to continue showing up despite poor health and raging burnout simply because you have free snacks on offer. 98% of leaders plan to offer or expand on at least one re-prioritised employee benefit, like caregiving, flexible working, and increased mental health support resources.
Creating a fun workplace is great, but creating one which takes care of its employees wellness and encourages them to be proactive about it will go much further in the long run. Looking for a concrete way to get started? Kick things off by investing in work wellness coaching.
What is work wellness coaching?
Unlike traditional corporate wellbeing coaches who focus primarily on physical health issues, a work wellness coach guides and supports employees as they make strategic behavioural changes to improve their holistic wellbeing at work. This helps both their professional and personal development while making the workplace more pleasant as a whole.
Although the work wellness journey depends on each person, it often looks like the coach helping the coachee to identify and set goals which are important to them, discovering resources (both internal and external) to help them, and accompanying them as they implement action plans.
Coaching is often carried out one-on-one in confidential sessions, but can also take place in group or team sessions.
How does work wellness coaching help your employees
In a nutshell, work wellness coaching can help your employees:
- Discover what the root of their issues is
- Understand blockers and obstacles in their way
- Identify, explore, and use what motivates them
- Recognise and make use of their own abilities better
- Set and reach professional and personal goals
- Make strategic changes with support and accountability
- Have a more positive experience at work as a whole
The big-picture goal? For coaches to help coachees discover their potential and make it reality, in an effective and supported environment, and to enjoy their jobs again. While this is in and of itself a noble goal, organisations need to understand that work wellness coaching is more than an individual investment - it has the potential to make a huge difference to your organisation's bottom line. Here's how.
7 benefits of work wellness coaching for organisations
- Less stress and reduced healthcare costs
According to a report conducted by Stress in the Workplace, stress-related illnesses cost businesses a whopping $200 to $300 billion a year in lost productivity. Consistently being under high levels of stress has serious health consequences, like high blood pressure, diabetes, depression and anxiety to name a few. Work wellness coaching helps your employees manage stress levels in a healthy and resilient way instead of burning out. This reduces healthcare costs for the organisation as absenteeism costs employers billions of dollars per year.
- Increased productivity and performance
Whether it's from a lack of guidance or external factors, everybody's performance at work suffers from time to time. And nobody performs well when they're pouring from an empty cup. With the help of a work wellness coach, employees can unlock the self-awareness needed for the motivation to improve their ability to focus, prioritise, and perform efficiently again.
To give you an idea, a study by Gallup showed that engaged employees were able to deliver 10% higher customer metrics, 21% more sales, 41% lower absenteeism, and 20% more sales.
- A more positive working environment
Work wellness coaching often has a ripple effect in the organisation, creating an overall more positive working environment. It helps your employees to understand themselves better and take proactive steps to reaching their goals and finding more work-life balance. Then when the employee starts feeling physically and mentally better, they tend to radiate that positivity to everyone they communicate and interact with, spreading good energy around the organisation.
- Engaged employees
85% of employees are not engaged or are actively disengaged at work, resulting in $7 trillion in lost productivity, according to Gallup's State of the Local Workplace.
When a workplace puts employees under unreasonable amounts of stress and doesn't recognise their efforts, meet their needs, and provide support where possible, it's easy to feel completely disengaged from the work you're doing. On the flipside, 60% of employees say they feel more motivated at work and are more likely to recommend their organisation to others if their employer proactively supports their physical and mental wellbeing.
- Higher levels of retention
When companies show a genuine, consistent, and proactive commitment to their employees' well-being, employees tend to be more dedicated to their job and to their workplace. Providing a work wellness coach to your employees can significantly boost retention rates as a result. According to the Deloitte Millennial Survey, employees who have mentors are twice as likely to stay at their jobs for five years or more than those who don't have that level of support.
- Stronger employer brand
If your business goes above and beyond for customers to ensure they have a good experience and don't leave negative reviews, why wouldn't you do the same for your own employees? Overworked and overstressed people are not going to magically transform into the brand ambassadors you need to maintain a positive company reputation. Healthy and happy employees on the other hand, naturally act as brand ambassadors and happily contribute to recruiting efforts and campaigns as well as making their own referrals.
- Attract the top talent
According to a report conducted by Korn Ferry, an $8.5 trillion talent shortage is heading our way. Left unchecked, more than 85 million jobs could go unfilled by 2030 because there aren't enough skilled people to take them. This makes it more important than ever for businesses to have a strong employer brand to attract skilled talent, and also to invest in their current talent to improve retention for the long run.
Vyou is a work wellness platform that helps your team measure, track, and improve how they feel at work, no matter where they work from. Click the Start Here button below to book your free demo today.
