The Importance Of Mind And Body Wellness In The Workplace
Over the past few years, there have been some big changes in how people think about their goals, careers, and mental wellness. Most employees prioritize their mental health over everything and want to work in environments that respect that. However, employee well-being programs have traditionally focused on physical health, like gym memberships or healthy snacks. While physical health is important, what about emotional, social, and financial well-being? Fortunately, most companies have stepped up and started offering more and more mental health benefits for their employees. These initiatives are crucial, but can HR professionals take a more holistic approach to employee well-being? Let's see what you can do to offer your employees a safe space for mind and body wellness in the workplace.
4 Top Holistic Wellness HR Practices
1. Mental Health Programs
The holistic approach requires HR professionals to understand that employee well-being goes beyond physical health. This is why it's important to encourage your workforce to take care of their minds, too, by offering them mental health programs. The most common source of mental discomfort among employees is stress. So, you can start by organizing a stress management workshop, where counselors will teach employees breathing techniques, strategies to manage their time and workload, or mindfulness exercises.
However, if your people are struggling and can't find peace with simple exercises, you must also provide them with complete mental health support. This includes on-site therapists and, of course, a supportive environment that doesn't stigmatize mental health problems. Although these initiatives sound quite expensive, they will benefit both the company and the workforce in the long run. Employees who feel genuinely supported are more loyal and can fully focus on their jobs.
2. Physical Wellness Programs
Mental and physical health usually go hand in hand. And since work can take its toll on our bodies, you must give your employees chances to relax and take care of their health. You can start hosting fitness programs, but make sure they resonate with each team's schedule and interests. From group training to yoga sessions, it's nice for them to regularly have a break that's keeping them healthy and content. These activities are also great for team building, as they motivate more and more people to participate.
Your employees will enjoy working out occasionally, but they also need to feel relaxed during the workday. An ergonomic work environment can go a long way toward benefiting their bodies. That would include chairs that don't hurt their backs, desks with adjustable height, comfortable keyboards and mice, and everything else that makes their workspace more welcoming and comfortable. Of course, this applies to your remote workers, too.
3. Work-Life Balance
Everyone could use an improved work-life balance, and it's your job as an HR professional to ensure this. For instance, flexibility is something every employee seeks at a job, as it offers them the freedom to manage their schedule and find time to do things they love. They can work from home or start their day a bit later, thus making work part of their day and not their whole life. Trust your workforce to work on their terms, if possible, and watch as their productivity rises.
At the same time, don't forget to encourage them to take days off, too. When they feel rested and relaxed, employees have more energy at work and tackle tasks with ease. Make sure to clearly state that PTO should be used up by making it part of your company policy and involving leadership. This way, no one will feel guilty when taking time off. You could also show appreciation to your workforce by giving them a few extra days off as a reward.
4. Emotional Intelligence Training
As someone who works in HR, you know firsthand how important it is to foster empathy among coworkers and make sure that everything runs smoothly. Through training, you can involve your employees in interactive and fun training sessions that will help them understand how their actions impact their work and relationships. From self-awareness lessons to seminars about conflict resolution, it's a necessary process for every workplace, especially a more understanding and supportive one.
These training sessions can also prepare them for relationship management. This is more about learning how to respect other people's points of view, actively listen to their opinions, and work towards achieving the best collaboration possible. Soon, you'll notice that everyone will be more supportive of each other and find solutions to problems more easily.
How To Implement Mind And Body Wellness Practices
Involve Leaders
Leaders and upper management need to support the community you've created in your workplace by setting an example themselves. So, when they actively participate in wellness programs and are there to encourage employees to participate more, they send a powerful message. Your workforce will feel more empowered to seek help if they need it and take care of their mind and body, as they'll know this is appreciated and endorsed by their superiors.
Design Effective Programs
Instead of HR deciding on their own what the programs should be, you should ask your employees first. Learn about their needs and preferences through meetings or surveys, and try to consider them as much as possible. It's better to create a program that truly reflects what they want than invest in something that won't make a difference in their personal and professional lives.
Communicate With Employees
You can use your internal communication channels to spread awareness of mental and physical health issues and inform your employees about events and activities you organize. Whether it's a reminder about the next group training session or seminar about diabetes, it's always better to use instant messages instead of stiff and impersonal emails to normalize openness regarding these matters.
Use Tools
Wellness apps are gaining more ground since the pandemic, and your company can easily incorporate this idea as an extra resource for support. With an app like this, your workforce will have a companion right at their fingertips, offering them tips, exercises, and guided meditation to help them get through a tough day or simply relax. You can even create a discussion group where employees can chat about their concerns and bond with their coworkers even more.
Conclusion
To keep employees happy and prevent exhaustion, you must take a more holistic approach to their health. Make sure everyone in the company is on board with how work, relationships, and emotions can impact health, and don't stop offering them options to support both their mind and body wellness. The tips discussed above will help you make your workplace a haven for your employees and create a happier and healthier workforce.
