Workplace Well-being is Good for Business, Employees
Julie Bitely
| 2 min read
It’s probably no surprise that personal problems can make it hard for employees to focus at work. It makes sense. As much as people try to compartmentalize their lives, negative life events or circumstances tend to creep into the workplace. In fact, research has linked lower measures of well-being with decreased productivity at work. And, when well-being scores go up, so does job performance, along with fewer missed days of work. With recent news that Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan will add a first-of-its-kind virtual well-being benefit for employers and members, the idea of integrating well-being practices that address financial well-being, emotional health and mindfulness alongside traditional wellness concepts of exercise and healthy nutrition, is gaining traction. Cindy Bjorkquist is the director of wellness at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. She shared her thoughts about why employers should embrace well-being in the workplace on the most recent episode of the A Healthier Michigan Podcast, hosted by Chuck Gaidica. [podcast_player] Employees with higher reported rates of well-being perform better at work, are more committed to their organization, are more willing to assist co-workers and customers, cope better with organizational change and experience less conflict with their teammates. Workplace well-being programs have been shown to positively affect productivity, absenteeism, morale and overall health care costs, benefiting both employers and employees. In fact, a survey of 1,300 businesses and 10,000 employees found 70 percent of employees felt wellness programs had a positive influence on work culture. “We spend about a third of our life working at the workplace,” Bjorkquist said. “That’s a lot of time.” Bjorkquist said well-being isn’t just for employees, it’s for company leaders and CEOs as well. Creating a culture of well-being starts at the top, she explained. Employees who feel cared for by their leadership and company are better poised to do well at work. “If you have a high sense of well-being at the work site … you’re going to have a resilient employee,” Bjorkquist said. Like this post? Check these out:
- Coming Soon: New Blue Cross Virtual Well-being Program
- What is Employee Well-being and How Can it Strengthen Your Business?
- Employers Moving from Wellness to Well-being
Photo credit: julief514
