“Make sure you weave your parachute every day, rather than leave it to the time you have to jump out of the plane.” Jon Kabat-Zinn, Founder of the Centre for Mindfulness
September most definitely has that back-to-school feeling, with a sense of new beginnings and a fresh start. With this in mind, this month we wanted to refocus on our corporate wellbeing strategy, as our teams return from holiday. This is a perfect time to reflect on how things have progressed, if you drafted our corporate wellbeing strategy back in January, or if we do not yet have a solid plan in place, then an ideal time to create one. At The Mind Hub we work with our clients to do just this.
Our approach is fairly straightforward, we start by evaluating where the business is now (what needs to be done), implement a plan to support the changes that need to take place and then review the results of our strategy. It is that last aspect that we wish to focus on in this blog, the evaluation piece so often overlooked. Before we start to consider how we might do this, let’s start by identifying what we mean by a corporate wellbeing strategy.
What is a corporate wellbeing strategy?
At The Mind Hub we believe that every organisation should have their own individual wellbeing strategy, regardless of size. Long gone are the days when a bowl of fruit on the reception desk will be enough. A corporate wellbeing strategy will include the pillars of wellbeing, including: financial, physical, social, mental & emotional elements of the workforce. Some of the everyday drivers of mental wellbeing may also include: a healthy diet, movement, good sleep hygiene, being social and having a sense of purpose or belonging.
When drafting the corporate wellbeing strategy we should consider the needs of all employees and what immediate and longer term positive support is required to help people to thrive in the workplace. In a post COVID-world we have seen that the way organisations look after their workforce have become increasingly important when people are searching for their next role or challenge. At The Mind Hub we can help provide support in a number of ways including training, drop in sessions and workshops.
To read more around this topic, visit one of our articles: “Workplace Wellbeing Strategies”.
What metrics can we use to assess our corporate wellbeing strategy?
There are many ways we can assess the impact of our corporate wellbeing strategy; it is key to define what success looks like when creating the plan. The metrics will also vary depending upon the type of support which is put in place, here are some ideas to get you started.
1. Wellbeing Training Attendance
If, as part of your corporate wellbeing strategy it is identified that some training is required then an obvious way to start to assess the impact is simply attendance and feedback on the training. Now, of course there may be other factors at play here if your teams do not turn up, it might not just be that they do not wish to join. It could also be that they do not feel they have permission to step away from their day job, a poor trainer or they are scared to admit they need the support. It is important that support for any wellbeing initiative is given from senior leaders, as this will help illustrate the importance and value of the training.
2. Staff Retention Levels
When I speak with a new client, there is often a business reason driving them to reach out to us. One of those reasons could be that they are losing a higher-than-expected numbers of employees. In a post COVD-world many are seeking to find rewarding work, where they feel valued and providing a good wellness provision is part of that. Research is shows that many people are proactively wanting to work with organisations who take care of their teams, with clear brand values. If you are retaining your staff then this is an indicator they
are feeling rewarded and fulfilled.
3. Team Performance
Research conducted by Oxford University’s Said Business School has shown that a happy workforce is 13% more productive. As we start to approach our performance review phase in the new year, there is great value in taking time to speak with our teams and understand what is going on for them. If we can ensure they are feeling happy and fulfilled, it is likely overall performance will increase.
4. Staff Questionnaire
Not only do organisations have a moral obligation to take care of their teams but there has been extensive research that shows there is a direct link between wellbeing, engagement and performance. With this in mind it is certainly worth putting some pulse surveys in place to understand the view of your teams and also put a benchmark in place from which to work from. Either by using questionnaires or more in-depth interviews the organization can start to understand the thinking of their employees. This kind of research will also serve as
an opportunity to gain ideas on what additional support is required.
If you wish to receive our free September wellbeing resource, where we share some ideas for questions you may like to ask, please EMAIL ME.
5. Manager Feedback
Our managers are some of our greatest resources when supporting our teams, they have regular contact with our employees. Given the right support and knowing what to look out for, they can easily step in sooner rather than later to provide help to those that need it most.
In Summary
Setting a clear corporate wellbeing strategy is key in today’s fast paced world and we offer a number of different ways we can support your organization in doing this. From helping you to write your strategy, workshops, running mental health first aid training to drop-in sessions, our team of associates can help you every step of the way. To find out more and to discuss your organisations individual requirements,