How to develop a health and wellbeing strategy
Increasing workplace wellness is an essential part of improving your company’s overall performance. According to a recent study, only 52% of Australians think they operate in a mentally healthy workplace. Developing an effective health and wellbeing strategy is a sometimes overlooked part of maintaining a healthy workforce. This article will take you through how to develop an effective strategy that takes your employees’ physical, mental, and behavioural health into account.
Talk to your employees about their vision for a healthy workplace
Establish open lines of communication with your employees. Ask them if they feel like your company operates a workplace that fosters positive physical, emotional and mental health. Ask them what their vision for a healthy workplace looks like. Getting this feedback will prove critical in developing a plan that works for them.
Identify the components needed to roll out your strategy
Do you need to add a mental health professional to your staff? Are there stress-relieving techniques or services you can add to your workplace to improve your employees’ overall wellness? What resources does your team currently use to promote health and wellbeing?
Comparing your wish list to your budget, craft a list of resources you’ll need to add to make the health and wellbeing strategy work effectively. These resources could range from the physical (massage chairs, gym equipment, healthy snack options, etc.) to the less tangible (health education, weight management programs, incentive programs for developing healthier habits, etc.)
Draft your plan
Once you’ve spoken to your workforce and compiled a list of required resources, you’re ready to draft the plan. This should include all existing health and wellbeing measures your company takes, any actions or resources you plan to add, a timeline, and a budget for implementing improvements.
Get leadership support
Meet with your company leadership team and discuss the draft in detail. You should bring notes from all employee conversations to this meeting. After they read your plan, validate your findings with testimonials from staff. Stress the importance of developing a plan that takes your employees’ needs into account. One estimate found that poor psychological health and safety issues can lead to over $6 billion in lost productivity per annum.
Share it with your team
Once leadership approves your plan, send an email to the entire company announcing the new strategy and include:
- A brief summary of the plan and any major updates
- The time frame for implementation.
3 to 6 months following implementation, put out a call for feedback, asking your employees if they find the new measures effective. Adjust the strategy as needed.
Read more about health and wellness in the workplace, and check out the details of our upcoming Corporate Health and Wellbeing events.