Recruitment solutions for business success tip #4: support employee wellbeing

Having happy and healthy staff can do wonders for recruitment. It makes talent less likely to leave and more likely to speak highly of your business, which can attract new talent. Employees are increasingly seeking caring working environments, which will support them though stress and mental health struggles. They want to know that they are going to be valued and content at work. This means that employers who don’t step up to meet these demands risk falling behind and losing talent to companies that put more emphasis on their employees’ wellbeing. We share what you can do to show your employees you care.

Why employee wellbeing is increasingly important?

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the rise of hybrid working has given employees the opportunity to re-evaluate their work-life balance, and there has been a shift in what they demand from their employers and workspaces. A third of adults have seen their mental health deteriorate since 2020, but despite work being the leading cause of stress, affecting nearly 80% of people, 19% of UK employees say that there are no measures to relieve work-induced stress in their company.

A recent survey of seasonal workers suggested that wellbeing programmes are the third most valued benefit after flexible working hours and pay respectively. Offering a robust health and wellbeing package which flows through your whole company is therefore key if you are to gain a competitive edge in the recruitment battle.

How can you show your staff you appreciate them?

There are options to suit every budget including:

• Offer flexible working to help your employees reach their desired work-life balance: hybrid working and flexible hours take some of the pressure off your employees when it comes to commuting or out-of-work responsibilities such as school runs.
• Gain feedback from staff with wellness surveys: understanding what your employees need and how you can support them will help your staff feel valued, understood and accommodated.
• Arrange mental health first aid training: this improves access to help for mental ill-health by supporting your employees to manage their own health. And teaching employees how to support others will help to build a caring environment among your team.
• Employee assistance programmes: these schemes are paid for by employers and give employees access to confidential 24-hour support, advice and counselling relating to mental and physical health issues.
• Away days and team building: removing work relationships from the work environment can deepen connections within your team and can also increase motivation and innovation. Thanking your staff in this way and celebrating your wins will also directly involve your staff in the business’s success, engaging them further.

A working culture which supports employee wellbeing is going to be increasingly vital when it comes to gaining an advantage over your competition in recruitment. Standing out to current and potential employees by showing that your company values its staff and is actively supporting their wellbeing will make careers at your business hard to resist.

If you are searching for flexible workspace with a positive, friendly team get in touch.