Feeling listened to is an important factor to boost wellbeing
Over the past few years HR leaders have been faced with a range of challenges, from The Great Resignation to the impact of rising cost-of-living, to the post-pandemic hybrid work environment.
And these changes have had a negative impact on employee wellbeing. Research from Reward Gateway found that 43% of Australian employees reported “lasting negative effects on their wellbeing from the last few years.”
Developing a culture of wellbeing is an important key to business success. And to help HR leaders understand where best to support their workers in this area, Reward Gateway suggests breaking wellbeing into four tenets – support, connection, communication and recognition. These four elements “work in tandem to create widespread upswings in workplace wellbeing and productivity,” Kylie Terrell, director of consultancy, ANZ at Reward Gateway said.
In terms of support, about four in five employees across Australia, the US and the UK felt it was important that their employer offered financial (79%), physical (80%) and mental (84%) wellbeing resources at work, according to Reward Gateway. To help employees feel more supported employers could ensure they make physical, mental and financial wellbeing resources available. They can also promote existing financial benefits and introduce employee discounts were possible.
The second tenet of wellbeing is connection. More than half of Australians surveyed in a Medibank study said they feel loneliness one or more days in a typical week. For business leaders to develop stronger feelings of connection in the workplace, they could set aside monthly one-on-one sessions to hear how employees are really doing. Another option is fostering peer-to-peer meetings through casual chats or a one-minute meditation before meetings.
Communication is a significant tenet, with 84% of Australian employees stating that “feeling listened to by leadership was important to their wellbeing”. For business leaders this means strengthening internal communications, and it could be by providing a company update on video or setting aside time to check in with employees. Leadership teams can also be transparent with employees about what’s going on and encourage dialogue with them.
“When everyone knows what’s going on, many minds can talk through and brainstorm decisions and improvements. For employees, being seen and heard in this way is wellbeing gold,” Reward Gateway’s report said.
The final tenet is recognition, which helps employees feel like their making progress. In addition, it allows fellow employees to appreciated what others are doing well.
“Recognition is a booster shot of positivity, driving engagement, inclusion, motivation and cultural values for employees,” Terrell said. “The fact that it’s a strong support for wellbeing means that it should be a huge priority for managers.”
