Let’s be real here. We spend most of our waking time at work. So work plays a huge role in our overall wellbeing. But until recently workplaces have predominantly paid attention to people's physical health. Nowadays, however, there is finally an increasing focus on mental wellbeing in the workplace. But what does that actually look like?

Well, here are seven ways you can improve wellbeing in the workplace!

Why Care About Wellbeing?

But first off, why is wellbeing important in the workplace? Well, to start with, caring about the wellbeing of those around you is a good and human thing to do. But beyond that, it is also a sensible business plan.

Happy, healthy employees are able to work more efficiently and are more likely to be loyal to the company. A company where wellbeing is a central focus will be a nicer place to work for everyone. This means there will also be a lower turnover of staff. 

So how can you go about improving workplace wellbeing?

1. Curate an Empathetic Environment

The happiest workplaces are those where an empathetic environment is fostered. Having an attitude of empathy towards employees and colleagues means coming from a place where you try to understand them. Practising empathy helps people in the workplace interact with each other in kinder more patient ways. This makes the workplace a much nicer place to be for everyone.

2. Focus on Mental Health

In the past workplace environments have focused on keeping employees physically safe, but less so on keeping them emotionally safe. The reality is that things such as burnout and depression are also risks associated with the workplace. But a workplace that focuses on the mental health of its employees is a workplace that will run more smoothly, with a more positive environment. 

Practically this could mean having easy, efficient and free access to mental health care professionals, it could be recognising mental health days as sick days, through educating and running mental health first aid courses or helping reduce stress through various management strategies.

3. Keep a Full Staff

Cutting the number of employees but keeping the same amount of work is a recipe for burnout! One of the best ways to keep employees happy and healthy is to make sure you have enough staff and give them reasonable workloads. If people have a manageable workload and don’t feel like too much pressure is being put on them, they are more likely to be loyal, efficient and prosper in the workplace.

4. Provide Quiet Spaces

Everyone needs a moment of quiet every now and then. A great way to create a workplace that cares about wellbeing is to provide quiet, peaceful spaces where people can take a moment out of their day. This can be used to pray, meditate, practice yoga, or just sit and take a few deep breaths. By providing a space to do so, you are sending the message that wellbeing is important and the company cares about mental health.

5. Create a Workplace Community

The feeling of a community in a workplace really affects the wellbeing and mental health of the employees. Workplaces with a strong sense of community are healthier environments for people to work in.

So how do you curate a strong workplace community? For example, by doing regular team building activities that allow people to connect over things other than work. There are many great team-building events you can host including things like alcohol-free cocktail workshops, yoga classes or team meals. These all strengthen the bonds within the community, allowing for a healthier and happier workplace.

6. Facilitate Movement

Exercise is one of the healthiest things that anyone can do for their mental health and wellbeing. So within a workplace, facilitating movement and exercise can really help employees to do something that will benefit their wellbeing. Whether this be through bike-to-work schemes, after-work yoga classes or a gym in the office, promoting exercise will improve the overall wellbeing within a workplace.

7. Promote a Healthy Drinking Culture

Alcohol within the workplace can create a very unhealthy environment. Not only is alcohol bad for an individual’s health and wellbeing, it also helps to create an unhealthy community and atmosphere. This is for a number of reasons, including, for example, the fact that it pressurises other people into drinking alcohol. Or people make silly mistakes whilst drunk that lead to awkward workplace interactions after the event.

So to maintain a healthy workplace it is essential to promote a healthy drinking culture. This does not mean no alcohol, but it does mean providing plenty of opportunities for people to connect without alcohol and creating plenty of space for people who do not drink.

Contact JOMO for Corporate Opportunities

If you are looking to improve the wellbeing of people in your workplace, particularly by promoting a healthy drinking culture, then make sure to contact JOMO.

JOMO offer a number of different corporate opportunities that are very beneficial in the workplace. We offer a JOMO alcohol-free cocktail-making workshop which provides a platform for people to connect and explore the delicious world of alcohol-free drinks, as well as bond with each other without the need for alcohol.

We also offer mindfully curated, alcohol-free hampers that can be used as thank-you gifts for clients as well as employees. These will help the sober people in your workplace feel more included in the community. So make sure to contact JOMO to find out how we can help improve wellbeing in your workplace.