A Proactive Approach to Employee Well-being

Lui Lanzillotta, Director, Human Resources, Pusateri's Fine Foods

The topic of employee well-being became more prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic and conversations regarding burnout and overall mental health became significant opportunities for companies to address. Consequently, many employers have incorporated wellness programs as a component of their group benefits offering. However, when it comes to employee well-being, some leaders are creating and/or contributing to the problem they are looking to resolve. If leaders want to succeed in supporting employee health and well-being, then they need to focus on a proactive approach to employee wellness.

Most leaders genuinely care about the well-being of their employees. However, their approach to employee well-being is reactive. Very often, an employee will not communicate to their manager that they are struggling with a wellness concern, such as stress or anxiety, until they have arrived at a breaking point where work performance is declining and/or support is required. The concerned leader will generally recommend the employee to take advantage of the company’s wellness and/or employee and family assistance program.  However, this approach only addresses the symptoms and not the root cause of the problem.  What actions can leaders take to proceed with a proactive approach to employee well-being?

Here are some tips to consider:

• Create a positive and respectful work environment: Leaders can create a work environment that recognizes and rewards behaviours that align with the company’s values and addresses individuals whose behaviours are contradictory. As an example, you may need to have a performance conversation with your top sales representative if that individual is bullying other team members and contributing to a negative work environment.

“ If leaders want to succeed in supporting employee health and well-being, then they need to focus on a proactive approach to employee wellness  ”

• Regularly promote wellness options: Don’t wait for a crisis to promote your wellness program. Speak about wellness options as frequently as you would discuss company key performance indicators. For example, incorporate team and individual resilience building discussions as meeting agenda items and/or as stand-alone meeting discussions. In my company, we have implemented “Gratitude Mondays” where each week a new resource is shared with all team members through various communication channels to provide education and promote a safe and healthy work culture. Gratitude Mondays are intended to raise awareness regarding mental health and well-being and help break the stigma.

• Encourage flexibility: Where possible, leaders should encourage work-life integration by offering flexible schedules, remote work options, and allowing employees to disconnect from work during their personal time. Leaders cannot simply advertise these options for the purpose of meeting the criteria of a top employer’s competition list. They must set an example and demonstrate to the staff that they practice what they preach.

• Check in regularly: Leaders should check in regularly with their employees to ensure they are doing well, both personally and professionally. Ask the employee open-ended questions to better understand their workload and any personal challenges they may be experiencing, listen to their concerns, and offer feedback and support.

By proactively supporting employee well-being, leaders will not only improve the health and wellness of their team, but also increase productivity, engagement, and retention.

Employee Wellness