Creating the conditions that support the total wellbeing of the individual has been proven to benefit motivation and productivity. A major study of organisational effectiveness conducted by Right Management found compelling evidence linking wellness - ie physical, psychological and social health - to employee engagement, organisational productivity, talent retention, creativity and innovation.
Taking talent retention as an example: an organisation is four times more likely to lose talent in the next 12 months if its employees take an unfavourable view of its promotion of health and wellness, finds the survey. Of those who take a favourable view of their organisation's efforts, only 5% plan to stay for under one year, while 64% plan to stay for at least five years.
Employee wellness and engagement are critical, therefore, to talent retention. As we enter the human age of business, where talent is the single biggest differentiator for corporate success, the case for making wellness central to business strategy is stronger still.
We need to practise what we preach, creating a "good work" environment for our own employees. Our employee assistance programmes can support the physical and the psychological wellbeing of employees through a variety of clinically sound approaches, including front-end crisis support, face-to-face counselling and a dedication to improving employee resilience. Solutions that empower individuals and organisations to develop a sustainable approach to wellbeing drive measurable improvement to engagement and wellbeing alike. Such engagement programmes promote commitment, advocacy and pride to do the job role. Together, these initiatives create the enabling conditions for people to flourish.
A sophisticated reporting tool can be used to track the wellness and engagement of employees and relate it to performance, and any number of other metrics. This is particularly important in making any wellness programme resonate with senior leadership: not only are KPIs a language they understand, but working with senior leaders to establish agreed metrics means the resulting data is more likely to inform business strategy.
Finally, economic downturns do not last forever. Underlying the swings in the economy are longer-term trends promising - or threatening - to transform the world of work. Demographics and economic shifts are leading to talent mismatches and shortages, while longer life expectancies and population migrations are creating diverse, multi-generational workforces with differing values and motivators - and increasing opportunities to exercise choice. Online innovations are also dramatically increasing the transparency of work arrangements and facilitating new ways of working.
A well-conceived wellness initiative can impact on all of these trends positively, making it easier to attract and retain talent and skill, win the loyalty and ensure the engagement of a diverse workforce and build trust and commitment in a world becoming increasingly virtual.
Alistair Dornan (pictured), is head of wellness and productivity management, Right Management
Alistair Dornan is speaking at the 2011 BITC Workwell Summit on 10 May
