Employee Wellbeing: What We Need To Talk About

When you run a business, it can sometimes feel as though your list of responsibilities is endless.

You have to keep on top of so many different things, whether that is the day to day running of your office, marketing campaigns or accounts.

Additionally, you may find that you are also responsible for some staff who you have working for you, like your employees. Even small, homegrown businesses end up needing staff one way or another, and they can significantly expand and improve your company for the better.

However, when it comes to the team, it is often a case of ‘you get out what you put in.’ The new people you bring on board need to understand the company culture and operational protocols and procedures, including health and safety.

How well your employees perform at their jobs often depends on their level of confidence. Do they know what they’re tasked to do and who to go to for support?

Read on to find out that you can take better care of your employees to create a safe and happy working environment.

Regular meetings

As much as we would all love to simply be able to leave our employees to it and move on, that isn’t always possible. As the head of the company, it is part of your role to clearly outline things to your staff and to help them with it if they are having any problems. Of course, it is also worth bearing in mind that you want to avoid creating a culture of spoon-feeding so to speak.

Taking the time to check in with your staff just to make sure everything’s running smoothly can undoubtedly pay off. Consider having a group meeting regularly – maybe every week, depending on your schedule. If you notice that a specific member of staff is, perhaps, falling behind a little, or seems to be struggling, take those matters into your own hands.

Arrange a one to one meeting where you offer help and support to your staff member, or you could even provide some mentoring to help them achieve their goals. Of course, if someone is simply not pulling their weight, that is an entirely different matter. But some employees do just need a little smoothing out around the edges, and as a boss, you can be the one to do this.

A safe office premises

Nothing shows disregard for employee wellbeing quite like an old, hazardous office. You may initially think that splashing out on a modern office is simply yet another overhead to think about and that it is a waste of money. On this occasion, you are wrong. If your office space is not safe for the people who work within it, you could be opening yourself up to a lot of potential issues.

Your office must be fit for purpose. The physical building must be up to standards set by the building code in your area. For example, make sure it doesn’t contain hazardous materials such as asbestos) that’s in poor condition as you could end up with a lawsuit on your hands if something were to go wrong.

Make sure your workplace meets the health and safety standards.

Promoting a work/life balance

Grinding your employees into the ground might seem like the only way for you to get results, but actually, this can lead to a pretty miserable existence for all parties. Sure, your staff are there to get the job done – but it is also up to you to help promote office morale and good office relationship.

Place emphasis on the importance of the lunch break and encourage your staff to head outside for a walk, if they have the time. Even buying a couch and a couple of bean bags for staff to recline on during lunch can make a massive difference to how well-rested and care for your team feel.

Do things together outside of work, even if it’s only occasionally. Work/life balance is more critical than ever in the workplace. As the leader, it’s up to you to set the example.