Lets start with a mantra…
“Happy, healthy, staff help businesses succeed.”
Simple? You’d think so, but while most would agree this statement meets basic common sense, for many it remains just that, a mantra, a bunch of words believed to have psychological and spiritual powers, but not quite tangible in the real world.
If you’re lucky enough to find one of these rare happy healthy bodies in the workplace, talk to them, and see the difference they bring. Find a workplace with a few of these embodiments, and roll out the trumpets you’re likely to find the makings of a successful business.
Take the reverse, for example, unhappy unhealthy staff leave their mark in the detritus of problematic, time consuming human resource problems:
- Absence
- Presenteeism
- Leaveism
- Conflict
- Poor performance
- Poor productivity
- Grievances and disciplinaries
- Litigation
- Health and safety risks, near misses, and accidents
- Lost time, the list goes on…
So why is it so often the case that workplace health, happiness, and wellbeing sits at the fringes of workplace agenda, or in some cases, is buried at the back of filing cabinet drawer 4 in the archive room on floor 20? Perception is often that wellbeing is a luxury only afforded in times of prosperity and affluence, when in fact the said mantra, if businesses take the brave step towards really believing it, is in fact one of the foundations for prosperity and affluence, and indeed common sense.
So if we can believe happy, healthy, staff make a business succeed, what stops businesses from ensuring dedicated efforts are made to create happy, healthy staff? Many businesses are challenged and distracted by insufficient time, commitment from themselves and others, undefined purpose of such wellbeing programmes, lack of interest, and a lack of budget. The reality is that many health and wellbeing activities cost little time and money, and in any case, financial return is shown to yeald a profitable £4.17 for every £1 of investment (PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2008). But take the pound sign away and consider the ripple effect of the toxic workplace of unhappy unhealthy staff. Damage seeps out further than the costs and confines of the workplace, to include employees going home stressed, psychological and physiological damage occurring throughout, and the spread to home-life, families, and the wider community. The aforementioned workplace problems all have a ripple effect well beyond the workplace, causing further damage to the economy and communities. It is therefore in all of our interests to believe that happy, healthy employees are good for business, and to improve workplace health and wellbeing.
So if you’re becoming a believer, check out further information about the business case for workplace wellbeing here.
Your business can make a real commitment by signing up to the Workplace Health Charter.
Mind Matters Training can also support your business to succeed by helping you believe that creating happy healthy staff is possible. Start today by contacting us for further details.