Top workplace wellness trends for 2022 – BenefitsPro

A one-size-fits-all approach will not achieve workplace wellness; each generation has its own values and priorities.

Workplace wellness is a phrase that offers come to prominence in recent years. It might strike you as an over-saturated buzzword.

It matters because it’s a win-win scenario with regard to both employers and employees. Employees who participate in workplace wellbeing programs tend to be fitter, more productive, plus have better morale than employees that do not otherwise treat their chronic conditions .

Related:   5 health and health and fitness trends likely to affect employers in coming year

Let’s take a look at some of  the top workplace well being trends regarding 2022.

Financial wellness

The pandemic provides hit the economy hard and left many people worse off: one in four employees says they are even worse off compared to two years ago. A recent survey found that 37% of employees live paycheck to paycheck, with 57% associated with those people saying that will they’re struggling financially.

Monetary wellness can be a touchy subject around the workspace. Of course , there is no magic money tree, but financial wellness is an example that is a win-win for both employee and employer.

More employers should look to improve financial health support because a large body of research proves it improved employee engagement and loyalty. So as we said, it’s the win-win.

Read this piece on why financial health and wellness programs must target lower-wage employees in order to learn a lot more.

Mental wellness & health care solutions

Although there are clear benefits from working from home, it is now apparent that many of us are suffering from zoom fatigue. And in short, the particular pandemic has only served to accentuate pre-existing issues with mental health in all areas of society.

When it comes to procuring and nurturing the best talent, employees need to realize that free pizza or an afternoon or virtual workshops can’t paper over these cracks.

Health and wellness solutions that focus on resilience training, virtual mental health services, mindfulness apps, and positive coping mechanisms will be essential in 2022.

One of the main issues is access; A Readiness study showed that HR and managers are still “gate-keeping” access to psychological health solutions in 61% of cases.

Sleep

Sleep is as essential as eating, drinking, plus breathing. Our body uses this time to repair itself, mentally and physically. Failing to get enough sleep may weaken the immune system, anxiety, plus depression.

To frame that will positively, quality sleep can enhance learning and problem skills . Even studies show that more sleep can lead to workers f eeling more motivated during the working day.

This is something that puts the onus on place of work wellness on the employee. An employer doesn’t have the authority or ability to make sure their team members are well-rested. All they can do is to avoid overloading employees with work that extends past their scheduled hours.

Getting a good night’s sleep is easier stated than done, of course , and you ought to never make yourself feel bad if you’re not getting your sleep pattern right. There are different tricks that individuals swear by, yet you know your body better than anyone else.

However , standard practices for much better sleep should start with a healthy diet, limiting daytime naps, physical exercise, avoiding blue screens while trying to sleep, plus perhaps surprisingly, not sleeping for more than 8 hours!

Holistic wellbeing

A holistic approach to workplace and also sees along with in an employee’s life as connected to their own wellness in the workplace, where existence and work are intimately connected, where one affects the other.

As function and lifestyle become increasingly intertwined, companies mustn’t care just about employees’ work performance but their overall life satisfaction.

The exciting thing about holistic wellness will be that there is only so much a company can do in order to support workers outside associated with the office. However, this trend can be as simple as respecting employees’ time outside of work. Or even the small gesture of their particular consideration.

Generational awareness

The one-size-fits-all approach will not achieve workplace perfectly; each generation has its own values and priorities and, therefore , must be respected and approached differently. For reference, today’s workforce is composed of five different generations:   Traditionalists,   Baby Boomers,   Gen X, millennials  and  Gen Z.

For example, Boomers value health insurance plus a retirement plan, Gen X prioritizes salary. At the same time, Millennials and Zoomers appreciate paid period off plus control over when they work and through where.

Generational differences are usually fascinating, especially in how it impacts their behavior in the particular labor market. For example , catch up around the top benefits Gen Z is looking for when job hunting.

Diversity, equity and inclusion

One of the most significant threats to work environment wellness regarding diversity, collateral, and inclusion is the “Emotional Tax”: the strain put on employees who else feel they need to be upon guard to protect themselves from bias and discrimination.

Creating a sense associated with belonging is paramount to fulfilling DE& I initiatives. It’s easier said than done, but there are actionable steps you can take right now to guide from the front. For instance , you could trial blind hiring or experiment with responsible AI in your HR process to reduce unconscious bias.

Accommodating remote plus hybrid employees

So there’s no running from your fact that the particular remote and hybrid function model is here to stay. Leaders require to account for this to achieve lasting working wellness in their organizations.

The first point worth noting here is that even offering your own employees the choice or the flexibility of where plus how they work is already a wellness measure in itself.

Secondly, and perhaps this is usually where the particular lasting part comes within, how do you assist your remote colleagues in feeling valued and component of the team?

One idea would be in order to try ‘Buddy Calls’ along with your team members. It’s a simple system. Employees are put into pairs each week. They take ten or so minutes first point on a Monday and Friday to call each other. They can talk about work, or even their weekend, or anything else in their life these people feel like chatting about. It’s a great way to feel connected, to feel such as they’re part of the team and not alone.

A second, and a lot more ambitious idea, is to do a ‘Cook-a-Long’: a virtual cooking workshop led by a different team member (volunteer) each time. The leader chooses a dish, sends out a recipe list, and then a person all cook it together over Zoom.

CEO associated with Spacehutnr Dietrich Moens told us, “Our most popular group building activity since we’ve gone remote control has been our Cook-a-Longs. It’s zero surprise we have a team of foodies! I think the reason they’re so successful is that they are hands-on. They’re chaotic, sure, but it’s great for team morale, and plus, you learn how to make some pretty great food! ”

Harry Prince  is the particular creative content manager at Spacehuntr .

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