The 5 Pillars Of Workplace Wellbeing, According To Experts

Mental wellness is a silent epidemic sinking into every office culture. More than 75 percent of employees have at least one symptom of a mental condition, which is almost a 30 percent increase over the past years. Along with the COVID-19 pandemic, employees are juggling heavy commute times, screen fatigue, long work hours, and dozens of other work woes. Even the happiest of your coworkers can be suffering, and they shouldn’t be suffering in silence. That’s why the US Surgeon General’s office recently released a new guide for organizations looking to improve the employee experience.

U.S. Surgeon General’s five parts of workplace wellbeing

According to the Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Wellbeing, there are five essential features to ensure that workers feel comfortable enough to do their best in their role.

1. Protection from harm

One of the most important features of a workplace that promotes well-being is ensuring that no one feels that their workplace is taking more than it’s giving.

Prioritize workplace physical and psychological safety

Physically safe employees are those who don’t feel like they’re at risk of physical burnout or maltreatment from coworkers. It can also mean that employees aren’t subject to physical activities that they aren’t able to do, such as team workouts or seemingly playful gestures. And psychological safety means that employees are able to think, say, and do things with their team without feeling like they’re at risk of being mocked, tormented, made fun of, or bullied.

Enable adequate rest

It can be draining and painstaking to have your eyes on a computer for eight hours a day (or longer), and frequently, employees need time to recuperate. Taking breaks and pacing oneself throughout the workday should be built into every company culture.

Normalize and support mental health

While mental health is a relatively new concept in the mainstream triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s still some stigma when addressed in the workplace. Make sure that discussions on mental health are honest and compassionate but remain professional.

2. Work-life harmony

The way that someone acts in the office is often heavily influenced by their life outside work. And if most of their days are spent trying to recover from their taxing jobs, that can destroy their workplace wellness.

Provide more autonomy over how work is done

Micromanaging can cause stress on both the person being micromanaged and the micromanager – so why have it at all? Trust employees to get their work done in their own unique ways and focus on results.

Make schedules as flexible and predictable as possible

While schedules should be fluid and not firm, and employees should be able to choose to some degree when they work, having schedules set at random can also take a toll on an employee who craves structure. Consistency is critical when it comes to scheduling.

Increase access to paid leave

Whether your employee is taking stress leave, maternity leave, or any other kind of leave, they should be able to do so without judgment and any hindrance from red tape. HR should devote time to ensuring that paid leave processes are easy and hassle-free.

Respect boundaries between work and non-work time

Even if a Slack message seems urgent or proof needs to get done as soon as possible, employees should feel like they can have dinner with their families without glancing at their phones every few minutes. Non-work time is as sacred as work time and should be treated that way.

3. Mattering at work

Work is a give and take, and if employees are putting in more than they’re getting, their workplace isn’t promoting their well-being.

Provide a living wage

Living wages differ from city to city; sometimes, the salary you’re paying a remote worker in one city might not be enough for a worker in a different city to subsist on. Be reasonable, but don’t be afraid to tweak salaries with the understanding that the cost of living is more expensive than ever.

Engage workers in workplace decisions

Having a speak-up culture is imperative to workplace wellness because, without it, employees can feel afraid to voice complaints or criticism that could better their work environment. Managers should be receptive to potentially risky statements from employees, as it can only help improve communication when communicated with tact.

Build a culture of gratitude and recognition

Appreciating employees makes them feel like work is fueling their passions instead of draining them. Whether you’re celebrating milestones, achieving goals, or other markers of success, make sure that your words are meaningful and authentic.

Connect individual work with organizational mission

No matter what, employees should feel like they have a purpose at the office, as it feeds into their sense of purpose throughout life. By bringing together individual work with missions and values, employees can intimately connect with their jobs.

4. Connection & community

Relationships and friendships are imperative for anyone, as they stave away loneliness and can sometimes result in lifelong networks.

Create cultures of inclusion and belonging

Clique cultures never go well at work, and office mean girls can drain an employee’s ability to focus. Team bonding exercises, conflict management, and office-wide socialization opportunities are all ways to allow employees to feel at home wherever they work.

Cultivate trusted relationships

Having office buddies is one thing, but being able to trust your coworkers is another. Even if you’re not getting lunch on the weekdays, employees should feel like they can voice problems without creating drama or confusion.

Foster collaboration and teamwork

Without the ability to work together, your team will fall apart – and so will your employees. Tasks don’t get done without streamlined processes and open dialogue, which require consistent check-ins, feedback, and consideration.

5. Opportunity for growth

Lastly, employees should feel like their workplaces aren’t just helping them keep the job they have. They should feel empowered to aspire to careers in the future as well. And without upskilling, that’s just not possible.

Offer quality training, education, and mentoring

Employees want nothing more than to upskill, especially regarding tech. If you give them the tools, their performance, productivity, and drive to succeed will skyrocket.

Foster clear, equitable pathways for career advancement

Nepotism can only lead to disgruntled employees, especially those that are working hard but not getting a chance at a promotion. Review processes and performance reviews should be crafted to cater to employee betterment and teachable moments, so a path to promotions is straightforward.

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