An employee assistance program (EAP) provides confidential counselling to staff to help with their personal or workplace problems that are affecting their wellbeing. While they can be accessed for virtually any issue a worker may have, they are growing in popularity as a way of helping employees with the effects of anxiety, stress and depression.
Helping employees develop their careers and achieve their goals is a keyway to encouraging mental well-being and ensuring that staff feel satisfied with their job. Unfortunately, the number one reason employees don't engage in learning is a lack of time. This is a great opportunity for managers to step in and enable staff to dedicate time to learning and development.
A rewards program that includes well-being benefits that enable staff to take control of their physical, mental and financial health.
Healthy relationships with colleagues are incredibly important for wellbeing. Women who say they have a 'best friend' at work are more than twice as engaged in their work as those who don't. Having a close friend at work has been linked to improve job performance for both men and women, including fewer safety incidents, higher profits and more engaged customers.
For WINNS, this means that enabling employees to build friendships with one another through regular social events can have a positive impact on wellbeing and business outcomes. Think about it: if staff feel comfortable with their colleagues, then they're more likely to reach out for support from them when needed, as well as just having a more enjoyable work experience in general.
If nobody is directly responsible for wellbeing, then it can be easy for programs to start strong and then gradually fall off everyone's radar. A designated well-being leader can monitor and maintain the effectiveness of well-being initiatives. They can also talk to their colleagues directly to find out what's working and what isn't, as well as increase uptake by getting people involved and excited.
It's all too common to see workers sitting at their desks during lunch, eating with one hand and typing with the other. Our industry is particularly susceptible to this, with the average manager working eight hours of unpaid overtime each week.
Real, regular breaks are critical to well-being, so encourage staff to take their breaks away from their desk and to take breaks throughout the day as needed. They'll come back feeling physically and mentally refreshed and are likely to be more productive.
Recognising and rewarding employees for hard work can increase confidence and make people feel valued for the contributions they're making - both important for mental well-being. Whether it's a simple 'thank you' or a reward for completing a project, there are plenty of ways to demonstrate that you appreciate your staff and give them a happiness boost.
Creating a culture that talks about health and wellbeing and supports employees in taking steps to improve themselves will encourage staff to prioritise their well-being. A key part of this is encouraging a healthy work-life balance.
Managers can't support their employees unless they know what issues they're facing. They won't know this unless they take the time to build a strong relationship with their staff. Making regular one-to-one meetings between managers and employees a normal part of work life will encourage open, frequent conversations, and allow any issues to be addressed early.