Why employers should focus on employee wellbeing now

During the last two years, most businesses have been affected in some way by the Covid-19 pandemic. Furlough, PPE, working from home, and even redundancies are likely to have impacted employers and their employees. In July 2021, a report by the mental health charity Mind, found that one in four adults and over one in six young people experienced mental distress for the first time during the pandemic.[1]

As a result of the pandemic there are also particular areas which emphasise why employers should focus on employee wellbeing now:

Burnout

According to Mental Health UK, burnout is a state of physical and emotional exhaustion which can occur when employees experience long-term stress in their job, or when they have worked in a physically or emotionally draining role for a long time.

Work as we knew it changed during the pandemic; whilst some jobs required employees to attend their workplaces as normal, others had to start working from home and many employees were unfortunately furloughed. This time was difficult for everyone, furloughed workers faced uncertainty whilst some employees had no choice but to take on extra work, leaving them feeling overwhelmed and unable to cope.

Whilst working routines are starting to return to a new normal, many employees may still be carrying the stress of the last two years with them. With 23% of people saying Covid related anxiety was the biggest cause of stress at work[2], it’s clear to see the wellbeing rollercoaster we’ve all been on recently will undoubtedly be taking a toll on some employees.

Recruitment and retention

Another reason employers should be focusing on wellbeing now is to help with the recruitment and retention of employees. Due to the uncertainty of the recruitment market during the pandemic, job security was more important to employees than ever before. However, with businesses looking for new recruits again and the number of vacancies hitting a record high, people are feeling more at ease about changing jobs.

Before the pandemic, many people considered long commutes and long hours a standard part of the job, however, people’s attitudes to working have now changed. Employees are now looking for jobs which accommodate flexible working, more flexible hours, or jobs closer to where they live.

The pandemic has contributed towards a surge in vacancies, increasing the competition between businesses. That’s where having an effective wellbeing programme can help. Not only can it help attract the best talent on the market, but it can also help by retaining your current employees.

The pandemic has undoubtedly had an impact on some employees, and the need for employer support is more important than ever. Without wellbeing support from you, employees can be left feeling stressed and overwhelmed, which can result in a lack of productivity. Happy and healthy employees are key to a successful business therefore it’s important you have an effective employee wellbeing strategy. Our new wellbeing guide is the perfect tool to help you create this, click here to download.

Sources:

[1] https://www.mind.org.uk/media/8962/the-consequences-of-coronavirus-for-mental-health-final-report.pdf

[2] https://www.cipd.co.uk/Images/health-wellbeing-work-report-2021_tcm18-93541.pdf P.14

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