Good practice: Wellbeing

On this page:
Summary
Case study
Overview
What is "workplace health promotion"?
Changing demographics
The cost of poor employee wellbeing
The return on investment in employee wellbeing
The wellbeing strategy
The wellbeing policy
Roles and responsibilities
Increasing participation in wellbeing initiatives
Raising levels of physical activity
Healthy eating
Smoking cessation
Alcohol and drugs
Testing for alcohol and drugs
Mental wellbeing
Stress
Line managers and mental wellbeing
Employee assistance programmes
Workplace violence
Bullying and harassment
Organisational factors
Identifying and managing long working hours
Flexible working
Building resilience
Reporting on wellbeing

Summary

• Many employers take action to improve the way in which work is organised to have a positive effect on employee wellbeing. (See What is "workplace health promotion"?)
• The workforce is becoming older, more women are working and manufacturing jobs are in decline, so wellbeing initiatives are likely to be even more beneficial now and in the future. (See Changing demographics)
• Poor employee wellbeing is linked to high levels of sickness absence and turnover, and poor performance, whereas good employee wellbeing is linked to reduced sickness absence and turnover, and high levels of productivity. (See The cost of poor employee wellbeing and The return on investment in employee wellbeing)
• Employers that want to invest in employee wellbeing should adopt a wellbeing strategy, so that they follow an organisational approach to wellbeing. (See The wellbeing strategy)
• Employers that want to improve employee wellbeing should adopt a wellbeing policy. This should set out the organisation's commitment to employee wellbeing and the steps that the organisation will take to improve wellbeing. (See The wellbeing policy)
• Employee wellbeing is more likely to improve if employees of all levels of seniority are involved in developing and implementing the wellbeing programme. (See Roles and responsibilities)
• Organisations can take a range of steps to maximise participation in wellbeing initiatives and keep employees' interest alive after the initial launch of a wellbeing programme. (See Increasing participation in wellbeing initiatives)
• Employers can help employees to get more active. They should determine what employees are interested in doing and seek to engage all employees. (See Raising levels of physical activity)
• Employers can help employees to eat more healthily by supporting individuals and fostering a work environment that supports healthy eating. (See Healthy eating)
• Employers can take a range of steps to help employees give up smoking. (See Smoking cessation)
• Employers should support employees with an alcohol or drug problem. As long as the right measures are in place, they can undertake testing for alcohol and drugs. (See Alcohol and drugs)
• Work can have a significant impact on people's mental wellbeing. Employers can help to foster a mentally healthy workplace, for example by taking action to prevent and manage stress and training line managers on mental wellbeing. (See Mental wellbeing)
• Employee assistance programmes can promote wellbeing and identify where the employer needs to take action to improve wellbeing. (See Employee assistance programmes)
• Employers should put in place measures that help to prevent workplace violence and support employees after an incident has occurred. (See Workplace violence)
• Bullying and harassment is likely to have a negative impact on employee wellbeing. Employers should foster a culture where bullying and harassment is unacceptable. (See Bullying and harassment)
• Organisations that take steps to address long working hours, encourage flexible working and help employees to become more resilient are likely to improve the wellbeing of their employees. (See Organisational factors)
• Reporting on the success of the wellbeing programme can have reputational benefits for the organisation. (See Reporting on wellbeing)

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Overview

This section of the XpertHR good practice manual discusses the business case for investing in employee wellbeing and explains how to develop and implement a wellbeing programme. 

Absence and attendance > Sickness absence management covers sickness absence, including recording and monitoring sickness absence, sick pay and return to work following sickness absence. 

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What is "workplace health promotion"?

Employers used to think of the wellbeing of their employees as a health and safety issue limited to the management of injuries and ill health experienced or acquired at work. However, the Government and employers now advocate a more holistic approach, in which the employer takes measures to improve the way in which work is organised and manages the physical and psychological aspects of the job.