Flexible working essential for employee wellbeing

We proudly sponsored ‘Citywork London‘, an insightful, energetic and motivating event around future proofing your workforce by focusing on employee wellbeing. 

We were in great company with the likes of Mercer Marsh Benefits, intuo, Living Streets and My Family Care in attendance.

Participants ranged widely in sectors, responsibilities and interests but the one thing they all had in common is a real interest in employee wellbeing.

All attendees agreed that employee wellbeing is something to take seriously and that it requires a full, sustained investment from businesses (it’s not enough to just have free fruit on a Wednesday!).  And the good news is that companies with higher than average employee happiness exhibit better financial performance and customer satisfaction so a focus on employee wellbeing benefits everyone.

The true cost of mental health at work

It’s safe to say that all of us learned a lot by attending this insightful event.

Deborah O’Sullivan, MD, Ten2Two says, “I was surprised to learn that over 70% of employees expect their company to take an active role in their health and wellbeing, (I was expecting this figure to be lower) and more surprisingly that 85% of managers feel it is their responsibility (I also expected this to be lower).”

“There are over 35 days of lost productivity a year from issues associated with employee wellbeing and a staggering 61% of people experience a mental health issue due to work. Interestingly, when surveyed, employees have a high motivation to change most things about their lifestyle including improving their exercise, nutrition and sleep but very low motivation to curb their drinking…”.

Mercer Marsh Benefits describes the eight dimensions of wellbeing as:

• Physical – I take good care of my body
• Emotional – I can express and manage my feelings
• Spiritual – there is meaning and purpose in my life
• Social – I enjoy regular and positive interactions with others
• Financial – I can manage my income to good effect
• Intellectual – I have opportunities to learn and stretch myself
• Environmental – I have positive thoughts about the world around me
• Occupational – I have goals I’m striving to achieve

This suggests that a balance is required in all areas to have a healthy happy employee.

Employee wellbeing and flexible working – a must have

Here at flexible recruiter Ten2Two, we of course, have one of the answers to achieving this balance by way of flexible working.

We know that flexible working helps health and wellbeing by:

• Reducing stress levels at work and at home
• Improving physical wellbeing, freeing time for exercise
• Improving productivity leading to better job satisfaction
• Improving motivation and happiness at work
• Reducing illness from reduced stress and increased exercise

When you introduce flexible and agile working into your organisation, you can really make an impact on employee wellbeing.

If you’d like to know more about how flexible working could impact your employees wellbeing, call Jane on 07854 055698.