There is no doubt that change and innovation are happening at a faster pace than ever before, in nearly all sectors of the economy. This is certainly true for workplace wellness. In fact, no one is even calling it “wellness” anymore—it’s wellbeing. Wellness is booming—it’s a billion dollar industry. With all of this investment, one might expect impressive results. But in reality, wellness in the workplace is at best, a break-even proposition.
One challenge with wellness programs has been their primary focus on physical health—a biometric screening, health risk appraisal questionnaire, weight loss programs, etc., with a goal of improving employee health and engagement. The reality, however, is that physical health is not the main driver of productivity, engagement, or even medical claims.
Newer research has indicated that all areas of wellbeing—career, social, financial, physical, and community—are connected. A person’s financial wellbeing certainly has an impact on physical, career, and social wellbeing. According to the American Psychological Association’s annual Stress in America™ survey, money and work remain the top 2 sources of stress for adults. While that may not be a surprise, in the same survey nearly 30% of respondents indicated that stress has had a negative impact on their physical and emotional health. Furthermore, the data on employee “engagement” is grim. According to Gallup, 70% of workers aren’t engaged in their work! Considering all of these facts, it’s no wonder why workplace wellness efforts have yielded mediocre results.
All of this poses a significant challenge to the status quo of workplace wellness. If wellness programs don’t improve engagement in one’s health, leading to improved productivity and other tangible benefits, then what does? What characteristics are attributable to an “engaged” employee and how do employers maximize employee engagement?
Engaged by definition means involved, interested, committed. Participation on the other hand is just merely taking part in something. It neither requires interest nor commitment. According to the research by Gallup, the majority of employees are just participants in the workforce. Engaged employees on the other hand, find meaning and purpose in their work and are willing to exert additional effort to make a difference.
Maximizing employee wellbeing and engagement is no easy task. It requires the organization to be healthy at its core. According to Patrick Lencioni, author of The Advantage, the signs of a healthy organization include minimal politics and confusion, high degrees of morale and productivity, and very low turnover among good employees. When an organization’s wellbeing is intact, employees are healthier and more productive.
Forward-thinking companies have recognized the direct relation between employee wellbeing and organizational wellbeing. These organizations tend to their cultures through leadership training and development, the language they use with employees (e.g. employees are not merely “human capital,” they are partners, team members), and the conditions they create in the workplace that allow for autonomy, mastery, and purpose for their employees.
The fusion of organizational and employee wellbeing is the future. You cannot have one without the other!
