| | June 2023MANAGEHRMAGAZINE.COM9Wellbeing in the workplaceIn 2018, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reported that work-related stress, anxiety, or depression accounted for 57 percent of all workdays lost due to ill health in Great Britain. Through interactive wellbeing initiatives, employers can help to create a stress-free working environment to cut down on levels of absenteeism and improve overall employee engagement. Workshops for mindfulness, yoga sessions, or even quiet `chill out' spaces in the office give people supportive outlets where they can focus on their mental wellbeing during the working hours. Landor introduced a `Lunch and Learn' series specifically to recognise the importance of wellbeing in the workplace. During these sessions, employees can hear from external speakers on a plethora of topics relating to mental and physical wellbeing--from mental health, nutritional clinics to financial and legal advisory sessions.It is also crucial to ensure that employees feel comfortable to use such initiatives within the work place. It is so important that as an employer, the level of stigma associated with mental health is much reduced and that the creation of an open and honest culture is top of the agenda.Reducing the mental health stigma Offering counseling sessions at work and training staff to act as mental health `first aiders' are two significant ways employers can help tackle mental health stigma. Both approaches can create an open and supportive culture where managing mental health is normalized. In addition, it encourages employees to be mindful of their colleagues to mental and physical health. Top five tips for an impactful wellbeing programme· Keep wellbeing at the top of the business agenda and the executive team committed to its success. It's a commercial driver.· Ensure it's a multi-generational approach; incorporate both tech-led and physical support initiatives · Create a culture of openness and honesty to encourage and support mental health and wellbeing overall· Invest in a tech-led solution, be it a wellbeing app for all staff, an online self-help program, or virtual counseling· Measure its success through both commercial KPIs (absenteeism, retention, and the like) and engagement pulse surveysTechnology continues to have a big part to play and forward-thinking employers will push to innovate and create even more evolved wellbeing solutions.It's obvious, but a happier, healthier workforce is a more engaged and productive workforce, and from a commercial perspective, employee wellbeing continues to gather momentum. For employers looking to meet the expectations of a multi-generational workforce, the combination of tech-led wellbeing and flexible working solutions alongside physical support systems can prove a significant competitive advantage, helping retain talent, boost creativity and innovation, and productivity. Workshops for mindfulness, yoga sessions, or even quiet `chill out' spaces in the office give people supportive outlets where they can focus on their mental wellbeing during the working hours
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