Highlight: Learn about the importance of workplace wellbeing, how HR can help with it and, how the pandemic demonstrated just how important it is.
Recognizing employees as human beings and genuinely caring about their wellbeing is a fundamental tenet of any HR strategy. And it’s the one lesson that’s more clear than ever about the future of employer-employee relationships due to the pandemic – that humans are more than just resources.
The role of human resources (HR) in promoting psychological health through motivation and engagement in an organization is critical. Their goal is to promote self-confidence, creativity, autonomy, and initiative, which are critical to meet the organization’s internal demands and streamline the productive flow of work performance.
The human resources function plays an important strategic role in organizations – driving job satisfaction, improving the quality of work-life balance, and more. While it does this, the organizational climate improves, which has a direct impact on productivity.
The discerning HR manager must understand that motivation is directly proportional to individual performance improvement. While many employees worldwide can and do work while suffering from mental health issues such as anxiety or depression with little impact on productivity, there are some cases where an individual is unable to work due to the severity of the condition. In most cases, supportive HR intervention can be the key to long-term productivity.
Furthermore, HR must provide opportunities for employees to participate in discussions about their jobs, the activities of a department or team, or issues impacting the organization as a whole. Employees who believe their meaningful contributions are valued at work are more likely to have higher morale and better emotional health.
Because employee motivation and wellbeing strongly influence organizational health, financial success, customer satisfaction, and loyalty, HR managers can implement specific strategies in this context.
Pleasant working conditions
Healthy and pleasant working conditions contribute to professional wellbeing. It is critical to provide employees with a comfortable, clean, and, if possible, customized work environment. Aside from that, flexible working hours or work from home opportunities (if compatible with work activities) can be provided, boosting motivation and reducing work-related stress.
Recognizing positive attitudes
HR managers should continue to value employees who bring proactive and successful attitudes. Because autonomy adds dynamism and flexibility to the workplace, this professional stance is currently in demand. Aside from that, passing on job-related compliments and positive feedback can go a long way toward showing employees that positive attitudes are never overlooked.
Promote creativity
Creativity leads to innovation. As a result, human resources should always be open to implementing techniques that facilitate this process. To thrive, such processes should not rely on exaggerated structuring but rather on flexibility. Facebook’s “Hackamonth” program allowed employees to work with different teams and projects for a month. This approach promotes integration among different teams while also allowing employees to gain new experiences and perspectives from their peers.
Communication channels that are transparent and open
HR managers should always be open to conversations or discussions with employees about any issue. Anxieties, frustrations, and potential problems must be heard and addressed in order to prevent negative consequences for the organization.
The Covid-19 pandemic has sparked significant changes in our workplaces. After more than a year, organizations realized the global event’s profound impact on our personal and professional lives. Some might even argue that these two are no longer distinct – rather, they are more entwined than ever before, as people encounter colleagues and family members on a daily basis (in one form or another). Organizations must adapt to these changing dynamics and reinvent how they engage with their associates, teams, clients, and communities as a result of this emerging new normal.
While progressive organizations have long recognized the importance of health and wellbeing, the pandemic brought home just how essential it is. During these challenging times, organizations’ aspirations, values, and purpose serve as a compass, with wellbeing at the forefront. Protecting associate health and reducing stress become critical to business, and organizations were forced to prioritize associate wellbeing as a matter of survival. Recognizing the inextricable link between our health, work, and lives allows us to think about how each component can be integrated to ensure the success of both associates and organizations.
A happy and inclusive workplace requires an environment where people from all walks of life feel supported and valued. This setting allows people to be their most productive selves at work, at home, and in their communities. Companies with a culture of trust, transparency, and empathy will stand out in today’s world.
Employees’ mental wellbeing in the workplace is demonstrated when they feel free to seek feedback, ask questions, report mistakes and problems, or propose new ideas without fear of repercussions to themselves, their career, or their job. A psychologically healthy and safe workplace actively promotes emotional wellbeing among all employees while taking all necessary precautions to protect employee mental health.
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