PULSE POINTS
New Study Reveals Employees Well-being Has a Large Impact on Work Productivity
According to new data from The O . C . Tanner Institute ’ s Health and Well-being Study , employee well-being has a significant impact on work productivity , retention and , as a result , company bottom line . The study surveyed 2,363 employees who are working full-time in companies that had more than 500 employees and are located in the United States , Australia , Canada , the United Kingdom , and Germany . For this study , researchers define well-being as “ a measure of a person ’ s perception of how her life is going — whether it is fulfilling and satisfying , whether she feels her best every day , and where her life is headed in the future .”
Results from the survey reveal that employees with poor well-being , on average , self-reported that they are only working at 64 percent of their maximum output . They also tend to be less collaborative and have negative views toward working with their teams . This less than maximum effort of this group of employees has a dramatic impact on the bottom line due to lost productivity time .
Apart from the standard benefits that impact employee wellbeing ( i . e . fair base salary , family emergency or care leave , paid vacation time , maternity leave and paid sick leave ), company culture was also indicated as a key factor . For instance , open work spaces where teams can meet and collaborate as well as employee recognition were considered important by respondents in helping to increase their well-being at work .
The study suggests a few ways to incorporate each of the wellness elements into your company ’ s culture . l Emotional . Allow employees the freedom to work the way that fits their personalities and lifestyles . This could mean allowing employees to create their own schedules , or even allowing employees to choose to work remotely . l Social . Create social settings where employees can get to know each other like company outings , team lunches , and other activities where business need not be discussed . l Physical . Allow employees to take an extended lunch to attend a yoga class , or invite employees to participate in office-wide health initiatives .
Creating a workplace that prioritizes the physical , social and emotional well-being of its employees can increase productivity and happiness within your company . How are you incorporating employee well-being into your company culture ? Do you support the emotional , social , and physical well-being of your employees ? Consider adding a few policy changes to your employee handbook and note the impact it makes on employee productivity .
“... company culture was also indicated as a key factor ... by respondents in helping to increase their well-being at work .”
14 PULSE ■ January / February 2017