When exploring ways to boost your employees’ wellbeing at work, it can be tempting to scan the horizon for new solutions and products; that one thing that will make all the difference!
When you think about promoting wellbeing, it’s easy to easy to visualise events and themed weeks, in an attempt to raise awareness of workplace wellbeing.
But if you’re considering organising some workshops or guest speakers during an upcoming “wellbeing week”, you run the risk of creating cynicism among your employees.
They can quickly notice the gulf between advice on taking breaks from work and the reality of their lived experience, where their workload makes breaks impossible. They’ll hear messages about the importance of conversation at work, yet be aware that their manager discourages chats. They’ll learn that it’s important to manage their personal and professional boundaries while also receiving emails from senior leaders at the weekend.
Remove, don’t add
Before adding new initiatives or sharing advice that’s going to be impossible to implement, turn to the very foundations of work in your organisation. Is it healthy, manageable and sustainable? If not, this is the perfect starting point for your focus on wellbeing.
This is not a new message, but it bears repeating: we know so much about what contributes to good work, and how to go about minimising the exposure of employees to stressors (the factors that lead to job-related stress). Addressing these should be a priority for any wellbeing initiative. Before adding new activities, off-site workshops and motivational speakers (!!!), focus on removing the aspect of work that make it unhealthy for work.
Fives aspects of work to get right
Research has consistently flagged the following areas of focus that help minimise stress at work. Getting these right means minimising the chance employees will feel overwhelmed by their work or the work environment. They represent an excellent investment when it comes to wellbeing, even if it’s not something you immediately associate with the topic.
1. Work demands
Do employees have the skills, time and tools to deal with the demands their role and stakeholders place on them? Are jobs designed to be done by a single person or do all your employees feel constantly ‘busy’ and struggling to cope with their workload? Equipping employees with the skills they need to be productive is an excellent idea, but addressing the root causes of their overwhelm is even better.
2. Role clarity
Do your employees have clarity on their own role and responsibilities? Have you ensured that employees don’t face incompatible requirements within their role? Additionally, do you regularly review roles and role descriptions to ensure they remain fit for purpose when included in performance management, development and recruitment activities? It’s all too easy for employees’ roles to snowball over time into something that no longer makes sense for any single person.
3. Job control
Do employees have a say over the timing, pace, and organisation of their work? Are they able to use their initiative to solve problems and develop new skills to take on more interesting work? Or are they micro-managed by untrained managers, without access to any helpful flexibility when it comes to when and where they do their work? This is especially important given the current (evidence-free) rush to force employees back into offices.
4. Relationships
Do you foster an environment where employees can enjoy positive workplace relationships? Are managers equipped with the skills to challenge unacceptable workplace behaviour? Do you promote ways of working that minimise conflict? Are employees able to communicate and connect with each other as humans rather than just roles?
5. Support
Do your employees have access to support from their manager and peers? Do they know where they can get other forms of support in the organisation? Are they getting enough quality feedback to support their performance and growth? Can they access the resources they need to do their job?
6. Change
Is organisational change managed in a way that supports employees? Do they receive the information they need to understand the rationale for the change? Are they consulted so they can influence change that directly impacts their experience of work? Do they get the resources, training and support they need to cope with the change and its aftermath?
Applicable to all of these, are their mechanisms and processes in place for employees to speak up when these essential standards aren’t in place. This is made more likely when you’ve cultivated a culture of psychological safety.
A longer-lasting impact
By focusing on these factors, you’re doing your best to minimise the presence of stressors in the workplace. And as these job factors are so fundamental to work, you’re ensuring a longer-lasting impact on employees than any afternoon offsite, yoga class or relaxation session. The latter run the risk of acting as a sticking plaster over a bigger and more fundamental challenge to workplace wellbeing.
