It's vital that small businesses look after staff health - here's how to do it
Wellness can’t be ignored if employers want to have a productive workforce.
A 2017 HR survey by business group Ibec found that while most bosses accept the importance of well-being in the workplace, less than a quarter have a formal strategy in place for it.
This discrepancy is partly due to the perception that wellness programmes are inherently expensive, which is not the case.
Furthermore, money spent will be recouped through reduced absenteeism and better staff attraction and retention, two key challenges facing employers today.
In June of this year, Finance Minister Paschal Donohue said that Ireland was fast approaching “what could be reasonably described as full employment”. As a result, competition to attract staff is now stiffer than ever before.
If you don’t already have a wellness offering then, for your workers’ health and the health of your company, it’s essential that you start to develop one.
Benefits
Ibec’s research found that 69% of workers are more likely to stay with an employer that shows an interest in their health and well-being. Nearly half would leave a job if they felt an employer had no interest.
Workplace wellness also reduces absenteeism due to illness. Absenteeism in a small business can have a much more disruptive impact than it does in a large organisation.
Work requirements cannot always be redistributed because other employees may not have the skill set or the time required to complete the task.
According to Spectrum Health, an Irish health services company, the average number of sick days is reduced from 10 to five if an employee exercises at least once a week. Absentee rates are 27% lower for employees who exercise regularly and eat well.
Wellness cannot be ignored if employers want to have a productive workforce.
Demystifying wellness for SMEs
So, what exactly is a wellness programme? There isn’t a set definition, but it’s generally regarded as any scheme intended to improve and promote health and fitness.
Wellness programmes are typically associated with large corporations like Google and Facebook that can offer on-site crèches, gyms, free or heavily subsidised international cuisine, and perks like unlimited leave.
While these elaborate schemes tend to grab media headlines, the reality is that wellness programmes are most likely to flourish in SMEs, where they are easier to organise and administer, and where participation rates and engagement levels are generally higher.
Easy-to-implement ideas could include extended lunches, the introduction of a relaxed dress code, more flexible hours, supports for cycling to work and rewarding team members who bring in healthy eating options.
Building a cost-effective wellness programme
In 2017, the Irish government launched the ‘Work Positive Initiative’, which is intended to help organisations improve employee well-being by providing workplace stress and employee wellness resources and information.
Work Positive assesses sources of workplace stress, employee psychological well-being, and critical incident exposure in the workplace. It also aims to help employers comply with health and safety legislation at national and EU level.
Employers are obliged under the Irish Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act to ensure safe places of work for all employees, which covers mental as well as physical health.
This resource is free and can help an organisation get a grasp of where their organisation can improve their wellness offering.
Developing your programme
A key point in developing a wellness programme is to find out what motivates your employees. Ask them to complete an online survey or simply arrange a team meeting where everyone has their say.
Whatever suggestions arise, it is also worth considering annual leave. A recent IrishJobs.ie survey of over 6,000 workers suggested that as many as 37% of employees don’t take their full allocation. In the long run, this will lead to burn out.
According to the same research, less than 40% of Irish employers provide their employees with the option of buying additional annual leave. Could this policy work in your organisation?
Every company has its challenges, and what matters is that your workers feel bought in and are empowered to adopt healthier habits.
Your goals don’t need to be set in stone, either. For your programme to work best, you should be open to feedback on what is and isn’t working.
Tracking metrics, such as participation rates, can give you an idea of what aspects of the programme are succeeding and what needs to be changed. Anonymous surveys can help you measure employee satisfaction and engagement.
No matter the size of your organisation, the health of your employees is the key to your success. Looking out for their well-being will lead to a more engaged, happy and productive workforce, and will boost your organisation’s long-term prospects.
Orla Moran is general manager at IrishJobs.ie.
