Employee Wellbeing: Shifting Away From Problem Solving

williammcpeck@gmail.com

A recent LinkedIn post on employee pessimism and a recent post by the leader of a course I am currently enrolled in that addressed employee sadness got me to thinking… There is no end to the list of problems employers and the field of employee wellbeing need to address. But is problem solving the best employee wellbeing practitioners can offer employers regarding employee wellbeing? I think not.

In order to shift from a problem solving or solution focus to something else, what should that something else be? I would suggest it needs to be helping employers to begin viewing employee wellbeing as a core business philosophy.

Shifting the focus of employers from continuous problem-solving to viewing employee wellbeing as a core business philosophy involves a fundamental change in how employee wellbeing is perceived and integrated within the work organization. I have identified the following ways the field of employee wellbeing can facilitate this shift:

• Strategic Integration: Employee wellbeing should be integrated into the business strategy rather than being seen by many employers as being a program and therefore a separate initiative. This means naturally aligning domain specific wellbeing focused programming and interventions with business outcomes. This can be better achieved by employee wellbeing practitioners demonstrating how employee health and wellbeing contribute to productivity, creativity and ultimately, profitability.
• Guiding Leadership Engagement: Leaders, at all levels, are responsible for and play a crucial role in shaping the organization’s culture and the workplace environment. Training and involving leaders in both strategic and operational wellbeing planning and programming can help shift their perspective from seeing these programs as cost centers to viewing them as investments in human capital. Leaders who champion wellbeing initiatives can influence the entire organizational mindset regarding wellbeing.
• Comprehensive Metrics: Beyond traditional business metrics, organizations can adopt a broader set of wellbeing metrics, such as employee engagement scores, level of wellbeing, health outcomes, turnover rates and their correlations with productivity. This approach supports a more complete view of what drives business success and highlights the role of employee wellbeing.
• Employee Participation and Voice: Encouraging employee participation in the design and implementation of wellbeing initiatives ensures that these programs are relevant and effective. Feedback mechanisms and employee-driven wellbeing committees can empower employees and foster a sense of ownership over their health and happiness at work.
• Building Education and Awareness: Ongoing Awareness Building and regular training sessions, workshops and communications that educate employees and managers about the importance of wellbeing and its impact on both personal and business outcomes can help shift the focus from short-term fixes to long-term sustainable practices.
• Promotion and Preventive Approaches: Instead of focusing solely on solving problems as they arise, organizations can benefit from a preventive and promotional approach that addresses potential wellbeing issues before they become problematic. This involves creating a supportive work environment that promotes mental health, physical health, and social connections.
• Sustainability and Resilience Building: Wellbeing initiatives that enhance employee resilience to stress and change can contribute to a more adaptable organization. Resilient employees are better equipped to handle challenges and uncertainties, reducing the frequency and impact of workplace problems.
• Wellbeing as Corporate Responsibility: Positioning employee wellbeing as part of corporate social responsibility can enhance an organization’s image and attract top talent who value a supportive and health-conscious workplace.

By leveraging these approaches, the field of employee wellbeing can help shift the organizational focus from being predominantly reactive — centered on problem-solving — to being proactive, with wellbeing as a foundational business philosophy. This shift not only enhances employee health and happiness, but also drives innovation, improves employee retention and builds a more sustainable business model.

Are employers and the employee wellbeing field up to the shift challenge?