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15 Jun 2020
by Beth Hall

How to put wellbeing at the heart of your company culture

Is your approach to building a great workplace culture out of date? If so, chances are it’s not working very well. Culture is changing at the speed of technology and society, and businesses must keep pace; especially when it comes to recognising the intrinsic link between wellbeing and company culture. If employee wellbeing is suffering, organisational culture will be negatively impacted, so businesses must ensure wellbeing is placed at the heart of everything it does.

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A mere 21% of employees believe their organisation considers people a priority, (according to O.C Tanner research). On top of this, the current state of employee wellbeing is worrying (and hardly surprising considering we’re in the middle of a global pandemic). O.C Tanner’s pulse surveys reveal that 40% of employees globally are worried about losing their job, while 60% worry about lost income. There’s also a 221% increase in fearfulness among employees, and a 135% increase in feeling isolated.

It’s the company’s responsibility to help employees to thrive, mentally and physically, particularly during a crisis when anxiety levels will be higher than normal. In order to put wellbeing at the heart of company culture, leaders must consider the following:

Transparency

Being transparent and honest with employees is key to them feeling secure. A consistent message throughout the leadership team ensures a “steady ship”, that expectations are met and employees trust the communications shared.

Getting to know people as individuals

Working with employees and really understanding them as individuals makes a huge difference. It’s vital to appreciate that what is important to some people isn’t so significant to others. Likewise, what concerns do they have which could be addressed? How employees spend time working on their uncertainties and, just as significant, things which make them more confident, will differ from person to person.

Recognition

When people work hard, it’s important to ensure they are recognised for going ‘above and beyond’, and how this is done may differ from one individual to the next. Creating the right feeling of momentum for that individual can be as important as the recognition itself. If these moments are aligned to the company values, the achievements become even more significant to company culture. Unfortunately, research shows only 57% of employees feel appreciated for the work they do, which naturally impacts engagement and motivation levels and feeds on people’s anxieties.  

Wellbeing plays a huge part in the success of a company’s culture. After all, if people are feeling anxious, unappreciated and burned-out, the culture can’t thrive. When wellbeing is prioritised, a positive culture is the result – employees are connected to purpose, accomplishment and one another. They feel like they’re playing on a winning team, with plenty of chances to grow, contribute, and make a difference. People are also attracted to the organisation – both customers and employees, and the company becomes a place of innovation and collaboration.

Remember that an engaged and happy workforce makes the business thrive. If leaders take the time to earn peoples’ passion and loyalty, the wellbeing journey can be shared together.

The author is Beth Hall, Culture and Engagement Strategist, O.C Tanner Europe.

This article is provided by O.C Tanner Europe.

In partnership with O. C. Tanner

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