Chad Severson is Chief Executive Officer of Ergotron. Contact him LinkedIn.
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Over the past two years, employees have created wave after wave of changes and uncertainties. The stress has taken its toll on the overall wellbeing of staff, making wellbeing a high priority for senior executives. In addition, health-conscious leaders understand that supporting employee wellbeing goes beyond access to quality healthcare and requires an increased focus on general wellbeing.
alarming, less than a quarter of US workers strongly believe that their workplace cares about their well-being. This means that most organizations still have some work to do to dimensions of employee wellbeing. As leaders continue to integrate wellness practices into workplace culture, it’s valuable to take a holistic approach to well-rounded employee wellness.
Promote well-being from day one
Supporting employee wellbeing starts with onboarding on day one. a robust onboarding program is critical to setting up new team members for success. In the first few vital days and weeks, organizations with new hires can lay the groundwork that supporting good health is part of the culture. Whether employees work from home, in the office or in hybrid, they need a workspace that supports their comfort and productivity. In the Ergotron office, all workplaces are ergonomically designed, equipped with height-adjustable standing desks and double monitor arms. In addition, we provide an allowance to new employees to help them create an ergonomic setup at home. And the benefits of a healthy workplace extend beyond physical comfort. In our recent researchwe found that people who have improved their workspace are more likely to see improvements in their mental health (62%) than those who have not (36%).
Onboarding is a perfect opportunity to help new team members develop relationships with each other, colleagues in different departments and business leaders. Clearing the way to help new hires build their network in the organization can help them feel a sense of community and connection – an essential element of well-being. In recent years, our HR team has developed an excellent onboarding program that has been well received by new hires and the other leaders involved in the program. We take ample time to connect new team members with other new hires, meet leaders across the organization, and learn about Ergotron’s culture and values.
Create a culture of well-being
After you’ve built a foundation of wellness in your corporate culture, it’s essential to maintain it. Be intentional about keeping a consistent communication cadence about the importance of health and wellness. Use stories and anecdotes to create compelling messages, use multiple communication channels and keep the messages fresh with new points of view.
At Ergotron, our team has established a wellness program that focuses on five dimensions of wellness. This program serves to enable well-rounded wellness and it also keeps employees informed of company benefits or offers that may be underused. An internal website and frequent communications keep the team informed on everything from volunteer opportunities to healthy recipes, from financial wellness webinars to staff group events, from mental health resources to leadership development opportunities, and more.
Step challenges and other friendly competitions can inspire people to exercise more and build healthy habits. Exercise challenges not only give people the opportunity to improve their physical and mental health, but they can also promote the bond between employees.
And while every organization is structured differently and requires different levels of support, we’ve found that offering a flexible and generous PTO policy makes a difference in supporting employee well-being. For example, Ergotron offers two and a half times as much national PTO standard:giving employees plenty of time to relax and rejuvenate.
Add positivity to daily activities
A few months ago, we started experimenting with ending leadership team meetings by sharing something we’re grateful for—something positive by definition—a successful project, a team member’s achievement, or other good news. From my perspective this was a total game changer. Instead of leaving meetings with a looming list of worries and tasks, we all walked away with a deeper understanding of what’s going well in our colleagues’ lives and some of the amazing achievements of other members of the team. It’s remarkable how much taking the time to focus on success affects everyone. Likewise, it is no surprise that positive leadership can translate into business results.
As we’ve seen in recent years, the way employees think and approach wellness has evolved. As employers also evolve – approaching health from different angles and supporting different aspects of well-being – leaders can create a supportive environment that empowers employees to bring the best of themselves to work. A company is only as strong as its people, and well-equipped employees can prioritize their own well-being while also taking care of the company.
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