Saransh Garg, CEO & Co-Founder, Nova Benefits on revolutionizing employee wellness, and how employers can challenge stereotypes.
In a hybrid era, perfecting work-life balance is key to corporate survival!!
2021 has been a turbulent and testing time for organizations and employees alike, with the ongoing COVID-19 crisis hitting companies differently. The need of the hour is work-life balance, and it is crucial for organisations to understand employee pain points.
Reports reveal a tectonic shift in the approach to employee wellness. There’s no doubt anymore that employee delight and overall company performance are closely interdependent and gravely impact work-life stability. Workforces, particularly those driven by Millennials and Gen Z, staunchly expect businesses to value their time, well-being, and intellectual fitness.
There are several simple methods to support employees to maintain a healthy work-life balance – all you need is willingness! Let’s take a look:
Keeping your ear to the ground: Providing counseling and physical health support to employees free of cost
Both mental and physical health have been greatly impacted during the pandemic. Apart from offering employees the required support through counseling and health check-ups, it is important to create awareness on where employees can access these services. Employees should be encouraged to share how they are feeling, and feel safe to do so. It is important for organisations to listen and react. A central contact point should be created for employees, where they can expect quick responses to questions and concerns. Employers must also partner with online counseling services to help people with their mental health, and interpersonal relationships.
Jeenal Jain
Inclusivity 24×7: Having an open-door policy, regular check-ins, and anonymous reviews within the workplace
Clear and open communication channels are key to creating a healthy workplace environment, which uplifts employee morale. In traditional organizations, communication is a one-way stream that flows from top-down, making employees feel like they don’t have a voice. Engaging in open and honest conversations with employees can make them feel comfortable, and encourage them to address and speak about issues at work. There are simple ways to implement this using a feedback structure and regular reviews where everyone can present their opinion with the option of staying anonymous.
Empathy always wins! Social and Community Outreach Programs
Every organisation has several stakeholders who form a part of the larger community and workspace ecosystem. Building and maintaining a mutually beneficial relationship with the community is what defines ‘Community Relations’. The start point for ‘Community Relations’ is to identify the needs and pain points of the community, and offer solutions to address the same. Community outreach programs like fundraising, setting up vaccination camps for employees and their families, offering tiffin or creche services may contribute to happier and satisfied employees, boost employee morale, and foster a sense of “community” that is critical to long-term success and employee retention.
Fostering wellness: Digital partnerships for employee well-being
Employee wellness initiatives are a much-needed component to create a good and healthy work culture. Wellness is a balance of both mental and physical well-being. To address the same, companies can look at organising group activities like online workout sessions or virtual marathons which will help in employee engagement and keeping staff motivated. To ensure mental wellness, it is a great idea for organisations to avail corporate memberships with wellness apps, which offer a full range of services.
Be resourceful: Get your employees the mental, physical and structural resources they need
During the first and second waves of the pandemic, isolation and burnout were reportedly two of the most popular employee issues discovered. Isolation was comprehensible, but ‘employee burnout’ posed brand new challenges, creating barriers in personal and professional lives.
Mental health assistance, along with new methods to develop organizational frameworks for a post-pandemic future. For instance, it’s mandatory to take a two-day break once every 45 days at Nova Benefits – this ensures that employees are getting the rest they deserve. Organisations also need to identify what employees might need – infrastructure, flexibility, professional help to deal with stress, anxiety, burnout, or lack of sleep – in order to do their jobs to the best of their abilities, with limited resources in a WFH set up.
At Nova Benefits, we offer an unlimited leave policy, which also includes wellness leaves. Employees can take time off for their physical and mental health, and are also encouraged to express if and when they are feeling burnt out.
We also advise our employees to try and clock in seven to eight hours of sleep every day. Keeping the current WFH scenario in place, our team strives to keep the workforce healthy and active, while at home.
Feedback is fab! Make wellness surveys and feedback regular routine
A feedback review isn’t always only for managers to give personalized feedback; it’s also an opportunity to examine employers, workplace culture, and leadership. Timely surveys demonstrate to workers that employers care for them, in addition to enabling the employer to enhance and elevate successful well-being benefits in the future.
Conclusion
The above cultural and process-driven changes aren’t complex but must be prioritized to ensure an organization’s rapid growth. Companies who have their work culture right, can see higher financial returns and outperform their rivals. How else are “Best Places to work at” built?
