Employee Well-Being

A job well done. That’s every employer’s expectation when it comes to staff performance. To make that happen, employers have traditionally provided a mix of basic benefits. Today, however, companies are increasingly taking employee well-being into consideration, as well.

What does that mean, and how and why should you add it to your considerations as an owner or manager?

Employee wellness concerns are generally considered to focus on four factors: happiness, purpose, stress, and satisfaction. Fair pay and flexibility continue to be major foundational needs upon which work well-being is based. That being said, “feeling energized and having a sense of belonging continue to have the most significant impact on how people feel at work—two factors that can override the importance of foundational needs,” reports Indeed, a global employment website.

Dissatisfaction Is Increasing

According to Indeed’s Work Wellbeing 2023 Report, most workers (71%) report a low to moderate sense of well-being at their workplace. Expectations, however, are increasing, as that same report finds that nearly half (47%) of those surveyed report that their desire for well-being at work has risen in the past year, especially among workers most likely to be dissatisfied. That is, female Generation Z or millennial workers.

What can you do to help employees thrive, and why does it matter? Burnalong, a Maryland-based digital health platform, suggests you consider wellness dollars. According to its research, medical costs fall by about $3.27 for every dollar spent on wellness programs and absenteeism costs fall by about $2.73 for every dollar spent. What about turnover? According to Gallup, companies that provide wellness programs have 35% lower turnover rates than those that don’t. 

Sharing the Costs

You may not have to cover the complete cost yourself, as many insurance companies now include wellness initiatives in their coverage. That can include everything from health screenings and vaccinations to weight loss, fitness, and even meditation classes.

Wellness considerations can go way beyond what’s covered by insurance, however. Take Socialite Vision, located in Palm Beach Gardens, FL, for example. Owner Adam Ramsey, O.D., believes incentives need to be personal.

In his practice, it’s about creating personal touch points, big and small. For example, he recently helped one staffer obtain housing and, for another whose dog was ailing, he reached out to the vet and called an Uber to get her there quickly. His philosophy? “People need to know there’s more than office goals. For me, it’s personal.”

Whatever your practice modality or size, making it personal is exactly what employee well-being is all about.