Employees in 2024 are completely different people from the Australian employees of the past. It used to be the case that if you offered employees significant salaries then they would be pretty happy and they wouldn’t mind coming to work every single day and doing overtime as well. All of that has changed however and millennials now want different things when it comes to the workplace and they have different priorities altogether. They want the right kind of work/life balance and they want other benefits that will provide them with good health. Many Australian employers are now offering things like flu shots to employees every single year and this has become a selling point to get people to come work for them.
They are looking for other things like workplace wellbeing programs and if they are not provided with these things then they will take their skills elsewhere to an employer who does provide them. As an employer, you always need to be aware and you need to keep your finger on the pulse of the employment market. If you’re not familiar with one of these programs then the following are just some of the benefits that they provide.
- It leads to better health outcomes – Wellness programs are all about changing behaviours when it comes to your employees and it is set up to not only encourage better work habits but also to encourage your staff to take care of themselves outside the workplace. If you have a staff canteen then you should be providing healthy food options, encouraging your staff to do regular exercise outside the workplace and providing them with ways to manage their stress levels.
- It will increase productivity – There is absolutely no doubt that if employees feel that they are a real part of your business then they will respond in kind and engage more in the workplace. In any Australian business where a wellness program exists, staff are happier and more committed to their jobs. It creates a fantastic sense of community and staff members are more motivated as well.
- It reduces workplace stress – It may not be apparent but it’s likely that the vast majority of your staff members have high stress levels and it isn’t the good stress. They need to be taught about managing their stress and to be more mindful not only in the workplace but in their general day-to-day life as well. As an employer, you should be providing them with spaces that they can go to just to relax for a moment and to gather their thoughts. Workplace stress leads to real burnout and this can result in staff taking many days off work.
As part of your workplace well-being program, you as the employer can provide your staff with things like flu shots, provide them with on-site medical services and to have health coaches getting them to change their current bad behaviour when it comes to their physical and mental health.
Meg is an author at Cinnamon Hollow. She writes on a variety of topics sharing tips and ideas for daily life.