14.07.2024

How to Create an Effective Employee Wellbeing Strategy

An employee wellbeing strategy will detail policies and procedures to support employee wellbeing in the workplace. It will underline the employer’s responsibility to support employee health and wellbeing, with a framework that includes immediate actions and on-going, long-term strategies to help people thrive.

In order to create an effective employee wellbeing strategy, your business will need to take a comprehensive approach, encapsulating every area of wellbeing. In this guide, we explore the ways you can develop a holistic and impactful strategy, helping your employees feel valued, supported and empowered to perform.

Why is an employee wellbeing strategy important?

According to the Health and Safety Executive, 35.2 million days were lost due to work-related ill health and injuries in 2022/23. Stress, depression, anxiety and musculoskeletal disorders accounted for the majority of these, amounting to 17.1 million and 6.6 million respectively.

This data demonstrates the importance of caring for employee wellbeing in the workplace. An effective wellbeing strategy can lay the foundations and the ongoing approach to caring for employees’ wellbeing. In turn, this can help to reduce absences and create a happier, healthier, more engaged and more productive workforce.

What are the four pillars of employee wellbeing?

Wellbeing encompasses a wide range of aspects but can generally be summaries into four main categories, which should make up the building blocks of your employee wellbeing strategy.

Mental wellbeing

Mental wellbeing focuses on the psychological and emotional health of employees. People with good mental wellbeing will be able to deal with the day-to-day stresses well and work productively.

Mental wellbeing initiatives in your employee wellbeing strategy should aim to create a culture where people are comfortable talking about mental health and their emotional state. Initiatives should help improve work-life balance, reduce stress and foster support throughout the team.

Physical wellbeing

Physical wellbeing will incorporate the physical health of employees. It will include physical activity, nutrition, and other habits that contribute towards a healthy lifestyle, such as good sleep.

In your employee wellbeing strategy, initiatives that support physical wellbeing could include plans that encourage regular exercise, education on healthy eating and how to get a good night’s sleep. It should also include information around ergonomic design and the importance of incorporating ergonomic office equipment in employee’s workstations to help avoid injury.

Social wellbeing

Social wellbeing involves building healthy relationships and feeling a sense of belonging within one’s community. In the workplace, this will include building trust and good communication within a team, and creating an environment that allows for and encourages collaboration.

Initiatives for your wellbeing strategy that support social wellbeing could include team-building, policies around open communication, and even time for more informal social events.

Financial wellbeing

Financial wellbeing will include an individual’s financial health. Those with good financial wellbeing will feel secure and informed about their finances. In the workplace, this should include encouraging open communication about finances, helping to reduce the stigma around speaking about one’s finances.

For your employee wellbeing strategy, initiatives should aim to provide ample education and information around financial planning, including planning for the future and budgeting. It should also include fair compensation and policies for salary reviews, allowing for regular conversations around wages.

Employee wellbeing strategy example initiatives

Your company’s employee wellbeing strategy should be unique to your business and employee needs. Below are some examples that you could include in your strategy to meet the diverse needs of your team.

Example initiatives to support mental wellbeing

One policy you could include to support mental wellbeing in the workplace is to recruit and train mental-health first-aiders in your team. This would be a voluntary role, giving people the skills and knowledge needed to support their colleagues. A mental health first aider would be able to identify early signs of mental health issues, provide immediate assistance and help their colleagues to navigate challenges.

Another way you could support mental wellbeing in your strategy is to implement training for managers, to allow staff to come to them when they might need further support. You could also raise awareness for mental health concerns, and coping strategies for common issues, helping to educate people on how to care for their own wellbeing.

You could also provide access to counselling services or utilise an Employee Assistance Programme that includes mental health support. This could be a great addition to your company’s wellbeing strategy, as it will allow people to access professional mental health support when they require it and remove possible financial barriers to accessing therapy and counselling.

Example initiatives to support physical wellbeing

A possible inclusion in your strategy to support physical wellbeing would be some sort of fitness programme. This could involve offering on-site fitness classes such as yoga or aerobics, that take place either before or after working hours, or even over the lunch break. You could also offer gym memberships or discounts as part of an employee benefit scheme, to encourage people to exercise.

Another option is to create a company sports team and enter into a local league. This has the added benefit of helping to create social bonds and a sense of community, as well as promote physical activity.

You could also provide resources on healthy eating, explaining the benefits of a nutritious, balanced diet. You could support this further by providing healthy snacks in the office, such as fresh fruits and vegetables. If you have remote or hybrid workers, you could also educate them on the importance of maintaining a healthy work from home diet.

Another great way to support physical wellbeing is by valuing the importance of an ergonomic workstation. All employees should have a DSE (display screen equipment) assessment as standard, and you should provide the tools they need to work comfortably at their desk. This might include an adjustable laptop riser, foot rest and monitor riser. You could also offer ergonomic accessories that promote active working, such as a standing desk converter, to allow people to alternate between sitting and standing throughout the day.

Example initiatives to support social wellbeing

A possible initiative for your strategy to support social wellbeing is to regularly organise team-building activities. These could either be on-site or off-site, although holding these kinds of activities in a new environment away from the office can help people to feel more relaxed and able to socialise better. You could organise an annual company retreat or just have a few days throughout the year when everyone takes part in team-building activities, such as an escape room or trivia quiz.

Another way to support social wellbeing in the workplace is with a mentoring programme. This will allow senior employees to guide newer team members, helping them to navigate their role and the industry. Not only does this help to build relationships and help people to feel part of the team, but it can also facilitate knowledge-sharing, helping to make people more successful in their roles.

Example initiatives to support financial wellbeing

Possible ways to support financial wellbeing in your wellbeing strategy could include providing resources and information on things like budgeting, saving, investing and retirement planning. You could provide access to online courses or webinars or have finance professionals come on-site to hold talks. You could also offer one-on-one financial counselling with finance advisers.

Another way to support financial wellbeing is to implement a policy where salaries are regularly reviewed, in order to ensure they stay fair and competitive. You could ensure your business is transparent in the salary structures for various roles and responsibilities. You could also offer a flexible benefits package that allows individuals to pick the benefits that most suits their needs.

Tips to successfully create and implement your employee wellbeing strategy

When you’re deciding what to include in your employee wellbeing strategy, you should conduct surveys and focus group meetings with your team. This will allow them to provide feedback on what they require to support their various wellbeing needs, so you’ll know what areas to focus on and which policies and initiatives to include.

You should set clear goals and objectives on what you want to achieve with your strategy. Make sure your goals are measurable, and regularly review and adjust these as needed once the strategy has been implemented.

Once your plan is created, you should communicate it clearly to all staff members. It should be easily accessible and transparent, so people know what is included and how they can access any resources.

You’ll need to take a flexible approach with your strategy and be open to adapting it as circumstances and the team develops. Make sure to encourage and celebrate participation and wellbeing achievements, to share the success with the wider team.

Leitz has a huge range of ergonomic office accessories to support active working, both at home and in the office.

You can read more about supporting employee wellbeing below:

Wellbeing at Work Takes the Centre Stage

How to Support Good Employee Health and Wellbeing

How to Support Diverse Needs in a Workplace