Isabella Ross
It’s safe to say that for many of us, work takes up a major portion of our lives. With conversations around working from home being integrated into our future post-COVID lives, as well as the four-day working week, it is high time that we also chat about workplace wellbeing. “To some, work is simply a job, but to many more it’s a lifeline to social interaction, purpose and a place of belonging,” notes McCrindle Research. Furthermore, McCrindle Research shows that wellbeing is a key priority now among workers, with 83% saying it is up to the employer to facilitate wellbeing within the work environment. So, how do we achieve this?
3 ways to enhance workplace wellbeing:
(Black Dog Institute)
1.Smart Work Design
This is all about establishing a flexible and efficient work environment – whether it is flexible working hours or working from home options or involving staff when it comes to brainstorming sessions and monitoring staff workloads. For in-person workplaces, it is also great to ensure ample natural lighting and indoor plants, as this has shown to improve mood among office workers.
2.Building Resilience and Better Work Cultures
Resilience is a key skill for all, especially within a work setting. It is ideal that workplaces provide training to their employees, as well as short courses that focus on stress management and resilience, especially for those in high-risk, corporate or busy jobs. Encouraging mentoring as well is a great way to foster healthy relationships that aim to build one another up rather than tearing each other down.
3.Increasing Awareness of Mental Health
Just like the schoolyard, there should be a zero-tolerance policy towards bullying. It is also important to encourage employees to seek help if needed. Providing mental health education to teams, implementing a mental health policy or participating in national events such as R U OK? Day are all options to consider.
