More companies these days are looking at wellness in the workplace and smartly so. Today people tend to spend most of their waking hours at work and this experience can either be uplifting or depressing depending, to a large degree, on the approach of the organisation towards its people.
A company’s culture can be built or broken by the approach to wellness as wellness looks not only at the health of your employees but also at the body, mind and soul of the lifeblood of a company, your staff.
If you want to take your company to the next level, consider how you can take your people to the next level. 99FM’s MYD Smart sat down with Theo Machoko, the Employee Wellness & Relations Officer at B2Gold Namibia to understand why wellness is a business must.
“Wellness is really important, because an unhealthy workforce, costs the company. People just want to be seen as human beings, they want the company to see them as more than just their title.” Says Theo.
When asked why a company should include wellness as an essential part of their organisation Theo explains that this “makes you employees feel like they matter. It also makes sense on the bottom line, it brings back to the company because happy people mean a more productive workforce.”
“I know that some companies don’t see wellness as important because they want to concentrate on their core business and don’t feel they are there to look after people, their emotions and what they go through. They just want people to perform and do their jobs but the most important assets in your company are your people. Companies need to invest in their people.” Explains Theo who goes on to say that, “People think that some things do not happen in the workplace but bullying for example, is still a big issue in the workplace and it often goes unreported because of fear of losing your job.”
“It pays having a wellness program in place or a wellness officer because at the end of the day you want happy productive employees.”
From experiencing the enthusiastic staff of B2Gold Namibia, it is clear that incorporating wellness in their company ethos, by employing a full-time wellness officer, has paid off. “Here at B2Gold, people know that they have a place to go and they know where to go, when they need help.”
So perhaps it is time to look at wellness as help rather than hassle. Wellness also doesn’t have to require a large capital outlay as sometimes the smallest actions or changes in your organisation can have the biggest effect.
Why Wellness at Work?
Studies demonstrate that investing in work-life balance initiatives:
- Reduces absenteeism
- Increases productivity
- Improves morale and working relationships
- Decreases stress
- Attracts new employees
- Helps retain current employees
All of which make sense considering the fast pace of today’s lifestyle. Employees tend to join and stay with companies that can help them find balance and personal satisfaction.
For more information take a look at a Harvard Business Review on the returns for your business of employee wellness by clicking here