Everything you need to know about well-being at work

In recent years, the issue of well-being in the workplace has come to occupy an important place in corporate human resources management.

In fact, a number of studies have shown that improving the quality of life at work is not only a gesture of goodwill towards employees, but also a powerful strategic lever that boosts the performance of companies, both large and small.

That said, taking action to improve employee well-being is a complex project. These actions must be carried out according to certain well-defined requirements. Find out everything you need to know about well-being at work in this article.

Understanding the concept of well-being at work

Although the concept of well-being at work is fairly recent, it is at the heart of all discussions concerning human resources in the workplace. Here are some important facts to know about this concept.

A few figures on well-being at work

According to a number of studies, employees’ quality of life at work has a considerable impact on their physical, mental and emotional well-being, as well as on their performance. The figures presented by these studies are clear:

• Over 60% of employees are more motivated in their work when the company is seriously committed to improving their physical and mental well-being at the office;
• A QWL (Quality of Life at Work) approach could reduce absenteeism by 25%;
• Employees would reduce their health-related expenses by 25% if their well-being at work were truly taken into account;
• Employee productivity would increase by 12% to 31% if they were happier at work.

A 2018 Harvard/MIT study even found that a better quality of working life would enable employees to be 55% more creative.

Defining well-being at work

The concept of well-being at work goes beyond the physical and mental health of company employees. It refers to the deep sense of satisfaction and fulfillment an employee may feel with regard to his or her work environment and personal life.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), well-being at work refers to a state of mind characterized by a satisfactory harmony between an employee’s aptitudes, needs and aspirations, and the various obligations and opportunities offered by his or her professional environment.

Improving well-being at work: why is it so important?

There are many reasons why a company needs to improve its employees’ well-being at work. When a company promotes a better quality of life at work, it :

• Improves overall productivity;
• Reduces workplace accidents and employee absenteeism;
• Builds a strong corporate culture and employer brand;
• Attracting new talent;
• Reduces the risk of turnover.

In addition, improving employees’ well-being at work is an excellent way of strengthening team cohesion.

Those responsible for well-being at work

Improving well-being at work is the responsibility of everyone in the company. From CEOs to managers to employees, everyone has a part to play in promoting a better quality of life at work.

The CEO

The company’s senior management plays a key role in employee well-being. As such, it is the CEO’s responsibility to ensure balance and coherence between the company’s strategies, its financial objectives and the interests of its employees.

By putting the well-being of its employees first, the company promotes the long-term development of its human capital. The CEO’s role is to set realistic objectives in this direction, and to provide his teams with the means to achieve them.

General management must also fully embody this new objective and set an example.

Human Resources

The Human Resources Division is the department that draws up and implements all actions aimed at ensuring the well-being of employees at work. It implements policies and directives that facilitate working conditions.

The Human Resources Director must therefore be able to identify and evaluate sensitive points using HR KPIS (performance indicators) and propose solutions to improve quality of life at work. These studies must be conducted on the basis of objective criteria.

Communication department

The corporate communications department plays a key role in relaying information and initiatives to employees. Internally, it also promotes the company’s values through specific actions that reaffirm its commitment to its employees.

The Office Manager

Also known as the Workplace Manager, the Office Manager is responsible for creating a pleasant, comfortable working environment that meets the needs of employees. This involves choosing the right furniture, managing workspaces, ensuring the availability of certain amenities, and so on.

The Office Manager must be able to propose practical and logistical solutions to improve employee performance and productivity.

Employees

Although the company has a major role to play in improving the quality of life at work, it’s up to employees to adopt and make their own the new solutions on offer.

He also has a duty to inform the Human Resources department of his concerns and suggestions for improving his well-being at work.

Actions to improve employee well-being

Several actions can be taken to improve the health and well-being of employees at work.

Investing in infrastructure

The work environment is one of the most important factors in improving well-being at work. Companies therefore need to invest in infrastructure to achieve aesthetically pleasing and comfortable workspaces. Ideally, spaces should be designed to provide :

• A source of natural light ;
• Inspiring color palettes;
• A well-ventilated atmosphere, etc.

All these conditions are necessary to improve employees’ mood and concentration. Some companies even provide areas for rest, play and exercise to help employees reduce stress and anxiety.

Creating an atmosphere conducive to well-being

There’s a close link between atmosphere and well-being at work. A good atmosphere fosters conviviality, interaction and cohesion between company team members.

To achieve this, the company can opt for warm decorations, organize outdoor activities, increase the length of lunch breaks, and so on. It can also set up a collaborative management. Grâce à ces actions, les collaborateurs se sentiront plus valorisés et écoutés.

Detecting psychosocial risks

Psychosocial risks can impact companies at various levels. In terms of human resources, they can manifest themselves in a constant state of stress, anxiety and mental fatigue, poor health, etc.

All these factors, in turn, influence employee motivation, performance and productivity. To detect RPS at an early stage, particular attention needs to be paid to employee behavior.

Here are some other symptoms of psychosocial risk:

• Irritability of one or more employees;
• Increased absenteeism from work;
• A bad atmosphere;
• The frequency of conflicts within teams, etc.

Some solutions, such as the motivation test and personality tests can be useful in detecting psychosocial risks.

Talking to your teams

Managers at various levels need to be able to talk to the teams they supervise. They can conduct surveys using a workplace well-being questionnaire to assess employee satisfaction.

Every employee must feel comfortable communicating about his or her mental health, without fear of being judged.

Good communication will encourage employees to be more open to the problems they encounter and to accept the help they are offered.

Exploring the voice of plants

The presence of plants in the workplace can promote employee well-being on several levels. They enable :

• Increase and maintain employees’ concentration while performing their tasks;
• Improve air quality thanks to their purifying properties;
• Regulate the temperature within the company’s premises;
• To give the work environment a warm, aesthetic appearance.

It’s also important to choose the right plants to match the colors and decor of the workspace.

Thinking about sports in the workplace

While the benefits of regular physical exercise have been widely and scientifically demonstrated, employees find it hard to be physically active in the workplace. Yet a sedentary lifestyle and inactivity are two indirect factors in lower productivity in the workplace.

Promoting the practice of sport in the workplace will help to get employees more active, reduce stress and improve health. For some companies, exercise sessions can be held in-house. However, this requires the right logistics to be put in place.

For others, they are carried out externally in sports halls, in the open air, or through sports competitions organized internally or between several companies.

Focus on food

Taking initiatives that encourage a healthier lifestyle can also be very helpful in improving well-being at work. And food quality is undoubtedly one of the most important aspects of implementing this policy.

The company can therefore make an effort by raising employee awareness of better eating habits.

Offering recognition

It is important that employees are recognized and rewarded for their commitment and exemplary work. exemplary work. Ces systèmes de récompense aident à encourager l’investissement des salariés, à les motiver et à conserver les talents au sein de l’entreprise.

There are several ways of showing appreciation to one or more employees. These include :

• Premiums;
• Internal internal promotion ;
• Salary development;
• Non-financial rewards (gift vouchers, verbal recognition, access to new professional or personal training, etc.).

Promoting vacations

Although all employees are entitled to a certain number of days off each year, some may feel they can’t ask for any. As a result, they end up working a whole year without a break.

To encourage employees’ well-being at work, the company needs to remedy this situation by promoting time off, so that every employee can feel comfortable asking for a period of rest.

Software to improve well-being in the workplace

There are a number of tools and software packages that can be used to improve well-being at work. These include quality of working life assessment tools, communication software, management software and more.

QWL tools

A wide range of tools for assessing and improving the quality of working life are used in companies. These QWL tools are specially designed to contribute to the physical and mental well-being of employees. Each tool of this type is based on a QWL questionnaire and many other specific features to provide relevant, objective data. As QWL tools, we have :

• Headspace ;
• Moodwork;
• Wellness 360 ;
• Yumuuv, etc.

Recognition software

Recognizing employees’ efforts is essential to developing their well-being at work. Several studies have shown that an employee whose work is recognized and rewarded is more inclined to make additional efforts to improve productivity.

Recognition software helps companies to recognize the efforts of their employees and reward them accordingly. Examples include :

• Guusto ;
• Bonusly;
• Nectar, etc.

Internal communications software

Good internal communications not only build loyalty employees, but also to facilitate their work. On the other hand, poor or inadequate internal communication can lead to increased staff turnover.

Good internal communications software can bring employees together, share company events, highlight employee successes and more. Here are a few popular internal communication software applications:

• Talkspirit;
• Slack;
• Microsoft Teams ;
• Klaxoon ;
• Wall-mounted, etc.

Employee engagement tools

These tools enable the company toengage its employees and create a working environment where everyone feels safe and free to express themselves. They are also used to measure the company’s social climate, identify areas for improvement and facilitate feedback after interactions with employees. As employee engagement tools, we have :

• Supermood;
• Zest;
• Bleexo;
• Limeade Listening;
• Culture Amp, etc.

Gamification tools

The term gamification refers to the incorporation of game mechanisms into the professional sphere. It is an interesting solution for improving well-being at work, since it encourages employees to participate together in playful initiatives.

Gamification software promotes interaction, collaboration and a good atmosphere at work. Here are just a few examples:

• Gametize ;
• Drimify;
• Kahoot;
• Upshot.ai, etc.

Self-management software

The role of self-management tools or self-management software is to help employees better control their emotions and behavior in different situations. They enable employees to develop their autonomy, make decisions and adapt to change.

Among the most widely used self-management software, we have :

• Holaspirit;
• Glassfrog;
• Peerdom, etc.

Mistakes to avoid when improving employee well-being

Implementing a strategy to improve well-being at work requires the involvement of all parts of the company. However, there are certain mistakes to avoid if you want to improve your employees’ well-being at work. These include

• Neglecting the design of physical spaces ;
• Underestimating the impact of internal communication ;
• Ignoring employees’ real needs;
• Be rigid in applying strategies;
• Use obsolete tools or technologies.

Well-being at work: What to remember?

Well-being at work is an issue that encompasses a number of specific aspects. It involves, among other things, better treatment of employees, adequate remuneration, recognition and reward for the efforts made by employees, etc.

Implementing this concept within a company requires the involvement of all its members. From the Managing Director to the Human Resources department, from managers to employees, the contribution of the whole team is necessary for this promotion.

Concrete actions must be taken to achieve this objective. Optimizing infrastructures, improving the working atmosphere, promoting time off and using appropriate tools and software are all actions that can contribute to well-being at work.