Health and wellbeing

Health and wellbeing is a holistic state of being where individuals feel physically, mentally and emotionally balanced. It is a combination of physical, mental, emotional, social, spiritual and occupational components that contribute to overall well-being. From a management point of view, health and wellbeing is a proactive approach to help employees reach their highest potential. It involves creating a workplace culture that encourages healthy lifestyle choices, providing access to physical and mental health resources, and creating a supportive environment where employees can reach their full potential. Additionally, by promoting health and wellbeing in the workplace, organizations can create an engaged workforce, reduce absenteeism and increase overall productivity.

Example of health and wellbeing

• Offering access to physical health resources such as on-site gyms and wellness programs: Allowing employees access to physical health resources, such as an on-site gym or wellness program, can help promote healthy habits and reduce stress. It can also contribute to increased productivity and engagement in the workplace.
• Implementing mental health benefits: Offering mental health benefits such as counseling, therapy, or other mental health resources can help employees better manage their mental health and provide them with the support they need to stay healthy and productive.
• Encouraging healthy lifestyle choices: Providing employees with the resources and support to make healthy lifestyle choices, such as encouraging healthy eating, regular exercise, and adequate sleep, can help promote overall health and wellbeing.
• Creating a supportive environment: Creating a workplace culture that encourages collaboration, respect, and open communication can help create a supportive environment where employees feel safe and secure. This can help reduce stress and increase engagement in the workplace.
• Offering flexible work hours: Allowing employees to work flexible hours can help promote work-life balance and reduce stress. It can also help employees manage their own physical and mental health, as well as increase productivity.
• Improving work-life balance: Making sure employees have access to the resources they need to strike a balance between their professional and personal lives can help reduce stress and promote overall health and wellbeing. This can include providing access to family-friendly benefits, such as parental leave, or offering flexible work schedules.
• Developing an employee health and wellbeing program: Establishing an employee health and wellbeing program can help create a supportive and healthy workplace culture. This can include offering health and wellbeing seminars, providing access to health resources, and offering incentives for healthy lifestyle choices.

Formula of health and wellbeing

Health and wellbeing can be expressed in terms of the following formula:

Wellbeing = Physical Health + Mental Health + Emotional Health + Social Health + Spiritual Health + Occupational Health

• Physical Health: Physical health refers to the state of one’s physical body, including the strength of muscles, the level of physical fitness, and the absence of diseases or injuries. It can be improved through regular exercise, proper nutrition, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
• Mental Health: Mental health refers to the psychological and emotional state of an individual. It includes their ability to manage stress, their level of self-esteem, and their resilience to mental health issues. Mental health can be improved through mindfulness, therapy, and other stress-management techniques.
• Emotional Health: Emotional health refers to the ability to regulate one’s emotions, express them in a healthy manner, and form meaningful relationships. It can be improved through self-care, setting boundaries, and engaging in meaningful activities.
• Social Health: Social health refers to the quality and quantity of one’s relationships with others. It includes their ability to build meaningful connections, their ability to communicate effectively, and their ability to form and maintain healthy relationships.
• Spiritual Health: Spiritual health refers to the sense of purpose and connection to something greater than oneself. It includes having an understanding of one’s place in the world, and a sense of meaning and purpose.
• Occupational Health: Occupational health refers to the ability to find meaning and satisfaction in one’s work. It includes job satisfaction, job security, and one’s ability to use their skills and abilities to benefit their employer.

How to care about health and wellbeing

Health and wellbeing can be used in a variety of ways to promote a healthy, productive and engaged workplace. For example, it can be used to:

• Create an environment that encourages healthy lifestyle choices, such as providing healthy snacks, encouraging physical activity and offering access to mental health resources.
• Foster a supportive and inclusive work culture that values and respects all employees.
• Implement wellness programs and initiatives that focus on improving physical and mental health.
• Provide access to resources and support for employees to manage stress, anxiety and mental health issues.
• Encourage open communication and regular check-ins between managers and employees to ensure their well-being is being taken care of.
• Develop policies and procedures that promote and support a healthy work-life balance.
• Create an atmosphere of trust and respect where employees feel empowered to speak up and voice their concerns.
• Provide access to programs and learning opportunities that help employees develop and grow professionally.

Types of health and wellbeing

Health and wellbeing is a holistic state of being that involves physical, mental, emotional, social, spiritual and occupational components. The following are a few of the types of health and wellbeing that are important to consider when creating a healthy workplace environment:

• Physical health and wellbeing refers to the physical health of individuals and includes diet, exercise, and managing physical illness. This involves providing access to healthy food options, encouraging regular exercise, and creating a safe work environment that minimizes the risk of physical injury.
• Mental health and wellbeing refers to an individual's psychological and emotional state. It includes managing stress, identifying mental health issues, and providing access to mental health resources.
• Social health and wellbeing focuses on an individual's relationships with others. This includes developing relationships based on mutual respect, creating a culture that values diversity and inclusion, and providing access to social supports.
• Spiritual health and wellbeing involves exploring a person's spiritual beliefs and values. This could include providing access to spiritual resources, such as religious organizations, or creating a space for employees to share their beliefs and values.
• Occupational health and wellbeing refers to an individual's work life. It includes creating a healthy work environment, providing training and development opportunities, and promoting work-life balance.

Advantages of health and wellbeing

Health and wellbeing in the workplace has many advantages for both employers and employees alike. These advantages include:

• Improved Productivity: A focus on health and wellbeing can help employees stay productive, focused and engaged. This can lead to increased productivity and improved satisfaction.
• Reduced absenteeism: Health and wellbeing initiatives can help employees stay healthy, reducing the number of sick days taken and boosting workplace morale.
• Improved mental health: A focus on health and wellbeing can help reduce stress, anxiety and depression, leading to improved mental health and wellbeing.
• Better recruitment and retention: A workplace culture that focuses on health and wellbeing can make an organization more attractive to potential and existing employees, helping to improve recruitment and retention.
• Increased job satisfaction: Health and wellbeing initiatives can help employees feel supported and appreciated, leading to increased job satisfaction and motivation.
• Cost savings: Focusing on health and wellbeing can help reduce the costs associated with sick leave, absenteeism and turnover, resulting in cost savings for the organization.

Health and wellbeing — recommended articles

Organisational commitment — Individual and society — Demographically diverse — Sense of belonging — Compassion and care — Non financial motivation — Quality of worklife — Motivation and emotion — Affective response

References

• Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2014). What can "thematic analysis" offer health and wellbeing researchers?. International journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being, 9(1), 26152.
• Bevan, S. (2010). The business case for employees’ health and wellbeing. London: The Work Foundation.