Why Employee Wellbeing is Key to Improving Productivity

Ever since the rise of big corporations and the 40-hour working week, business owners have been contemplating how they can increase productivity in the workplace and boost output.

There have been many studies conducted around whether working full time is really the most productive option. According to research from the University of Warwick, economists completed experiments to test the idea that happy employees work harder, finding that being happy made people approximately 12% more productive.

The Importance of Avoiding Burnout

In recent years, burnout has become a massive topic among stressed and overworked employees. If a member of your team is permanently tired, unable to focus or facing burnout, it may be beneficial to allow them some much-needed time off to restore energy levels and perform at their highest levels when it matters most. After more than a year of working from home, many employees are struggling to adjust to the long-awaited return to the office, and it’s causing burnout a lot faster than usual. A recently published Future of Work report stated that 60% of workers want their employer to provide more or better wellbeing support over the next few months.

Ways To Support Your Workforce

One of the ways that employers can support their workers over the next few months is to offer opportunities for hybrid working. Hybrid working allows employees more flexibility and autonomy over their lives. This approach enables employees to work their normal hours, partially in the office and partially from home. While the exact number of hours they’re working doesn’t change, the time saved from not commuting gives them more chance to rest and avoid the stress of heavy traffic or busy public transport. In turn, they start each day feeling more refreshed, which leads to an increase in productivity.

A hybrid team can be helpful to your business. With some staff members at home calling in on Zoom and some in the office, employees are less likely to feel as though they are “stuck in a rut” and will naturally feel more inspired, productive and engaged with their colleagues. Another way employers can support their workers is by offering virtual wellbeing and resilience courses. These courses help employees understand the first signs of stress, so they know what to watch out for — giving employers and employees various techniques and strategies to deal with issues before they begin to feel burnt out. The course also offers strategies to help build resilience and positive habits and provides employees places to access further help.

Look At New Ways of Working

The past year has been tough on businesses and employees, but the problem of chronic overworking and burnout isn’t new. Now that you’ve become more used to working from home and using virtual technology, implementing a hybrid working system can be a smooth adjustment with significant rewards for you and your team, such as helping employees get more rest and, in turn, perform to the best of their ability. Even if this isn’t possible, due to the nature of the business, offering wellbeing and resilience training can be a great way to give your employees the tools they need to fight stress and find support. Happy employees will always be more productive, and as a business owner, it’s your responsibility to look after your staff’s wellbeing.

If you’d like to learn more about our courses or speak to our training experts about your goals, please do not hesitate to send us a message or call us on 01252 618 400. You can also start a live chat with us using the chatbot (on any of our course pages) to request further information.