Supporting employee’s wellbeing all year round
Adrian Matthews, Head of Employee Benefits at MetLife UK
With the cost-of-living crisis and fallout from the pandemic still apparent, it’s completely understandable that some employees may be feeling the impact on their sense of wellbeing. It’s therefore critical employers are in the best position to support their staff’s changing needs and ensure workplace wellbeing remains a top priority.
Symptoms of physical or mental stress and anxiety can arise at any moment. And so, while the summer will see more people taking opportunities for annual leave, it is still very important for managers to keep in contact with teams and ensure everyone has time for a proper break to prevent burnout or longer periods of sickness absence. While you cannot prevent sickness and absence altogether, early intervention can help employees return to work successfully and more quickly than without1.
Now in its fifth year, World Wellbeing Week, running from 26th to 30th June, celebrates the many aspects of wellbeing from purposeful work to emotional health and social resilience. Here, Adrian Matthews, Head of Employee Benefits at MetLife UK shares his three top tips to improve and maintain workplace wellbeing:
- Watch, listen, implement
In this hybrid working world, it can be harder to pick up gradual shifts in employee behaviour and wellbeing. Whether a staff member is feeling stressed or has experienced a bigger personal loss or bereavement, it’s very important for managers to ensure they are consistently providing regular check ins and are engaged with each individual team member. Overlooking this can cause more serious issues. Our The Last Word report found of the 36% of UK adults who’ve experienced a recent bereavement, just 3% felt comfortable enough to speak to their employer and 4% spoke to a colleague2. Taking the time to listen and understand what is happening in someone’s working world but also their life outside of work will ultimately help those within the team feel property supported and ultimately more productive in the long term.
- Regular breaks
It is all too easy to overlook the value of taking regular breaks, regardless of whether you are gearing up for a holiday or not. Employers must do their part to implement steps for teams to take regular breaks and step away from their desks throughout the day. Sitting in front of a computer screen all day can lead to bad working habits and potentially trigger workplace stress and anxiety, or even physical strain. By taking as little as 30 minutes a day away from the computer, preferably outside, employees can help support their physical and mental wellbeing.
- Highlighting resources
Employers should continuously draw attention to the employee benefits package available to employees, so they know that a system is in place to support them and how to access it. If employers are looking for further support, an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) is an effective way to support the physical and mental wellbeing of employees, 365 days, 24/73. To supplement this, on-site volunteers and other team members who are keen to be Mental Health First Aiders can also help guide them to wellbeing resources.
2 MetLife UK research carried out by Opinium in March 2023 sampling 2,000 adults
3 https://www.metlife.co.uk/customer/employee-benefits/group-life/