How to implement a robust wellbeing proposition

There’s no beating around the bush, employees are expecting more support with their wellbeing.

Be it their health, wealth or self, a happy employee is a productive employee, and supporting their journey in and out of the workplace could be a key contributing factor to your talent retention and attraction success.

Employers need to ensure a proactive approach towards wellbeing support for their most important assets, and what better way to start than with an employee benefit proposition?

It’s one thing to implement a robust employee benefit proposition, but it’s another to communicate your support avenues effectively. Founder of Acaria Consulting, Annette Andrews, talks us through the steps you can take as a business to perfect your approach.

I’m sure many of you, like myself, find the opportunity to take some time over the weekend to reflect on your last week. What has gone well, how you are feeling about things and your planning for the week ahead.

What we don’t tend to be very good at is checking in on our own wellbeing, rather we tend to prioritise things and other people around us. Recently I joined Zest for their ‘Pinch of Zest’ podcast, where we focused on wellbeing and how our physical and mental health needs to be more of a priority for both us and our employers.

That can be a two-way street, though:

Firstly, employers need to ensure that there’s an enhanced awareness and support in the workplace. This can include upskilling managers and leaders to prioritise wellbeing in their teams, and to create a culture where it’s ok to talk about our wellbeing.

In fact, we are encouraged to share the challenges we might be experiencing and the support that is available.

Secondly, we need to check in with how we are doing ourselves, be more open to talking about any challenges we are facing and be willing to seek or take up the support that is available. This might not just be for us as an employee, it also applies to our immediate family members if the support extends to them.

Historically, it has been a bit of a badge of honour not to talk about our wellbeing, admit times can be tough and that the worry about our own health (or that of our family) can impact our ability to focus and contribute at work.

I recall being told at a very early stage in my career that work, and life, were very separate and that neither should impinge on the other – how antiquated that now sounds, and so disconnected with reality.

Equally, the take up of support provided at work was never particularly good. Again, people were concerned about the confidentiality of the support provided and that using it would be a sign of weakness / not being able to cope.

As someone who has provided a range of support for employees (via benefits platforms, workshops, training programmes, helplines etc) and used them personally to support my family & I; I know the difference they can make.

The importance is:

• Having a wellbeing proposition and benefits that are accessible
• Focusing on sharing that support and how it is available
• Highlighting the benefits of using the tools available with supporting employee stories. Perhaps with senior leaders opening up on some of their personal challenges
• Leading employee events and communications on the benefits

By bringing in personal stories, people will be able to connect and feel enabled to use benefits and talk to the right people within the business.

It’s amazing what happens when people start to share their stories and what has made a difference to them – quite often it’s the support of their employer, team and manager that has proved to be a game changer.

So, as you go through this week, and into the next weekend; take the time to check in on how you are, what might make the difference and take the time to invest in you over the days ahead.

More key insights from the podcast episode include:

• Zest’s employee wellbeing research
• Putting a holistic framework in place to support employee’s physical and mental health
• The biggest challenges facing employers when it comes to employee wellbeing
• What are the best employee wellbeing benefits
• How wellbeing impacts talent attraction and retention
• The tools and resources available through benefit platforms to support wellbeing

Listen to the full episode here.

As the cost of living crisis continues, we appreciate that employees will experience difficulties that impact their mental health.

According to our research, 59% of businesses say employee wellbeing has been in decline over the past 12 months, with 57% admitting it’s at an all-time low. A good wellbeing offering can be a core enabler of employee engagement and performance, and as already mentioned, should be a critical element of your benefits offering.

As employee priorities shift away from being motivated by a salary, those who recognise and act on important areas like wellbeing can elevate themselves in the race for talent.

From customizable benefits that support wellbeing to personalised communication tools, Zest helps you to engage and empower employees to make informed decisions about their benefits, leading to higher retention and engagement rates. ​

Get in touch and book a demo today. You can also view a list of benefits that can help support the physical, financial and mental wellbeing of your employees, you can also browse through our Marketplace offering here.

About Annette

Annette Andrews is the founder of Acaria Consulting and a thought leader on Conscious Leadership.

As a former Chief People Officer for Lloyd’s of London, HR Director at Lloyds Bank and Ford Motor Company, and Faculty Lead of the Company of HR Professionals 2024 National Leadership Programme, Annette now spends her time speaking and writing about leadership, with a focus on enhancing employee attraction, retention, and engagement – and coaching and consulting with executives and their teams.