Being happy at work is about more than salaries, as some companies know

Towards the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, companies all around the world began to talk more about employee wellness. Reports appeared about the “Great Resignation”, with PWC’s poll of 52,000 workers in 44 countries, titled the “Hopes and Fears” survey, that noted one in five people were likely to change jobs in the following year. The reasons were varied.

Remuneration was no longer the sole focus, for example, of Gen Z – employees born between 1996-2010. On top of their list was community, flexibility and freedom of choice. They nudged companies to prioritise work-life balance and championed the importance of mental and physical health and wellness.

Wellness is not just a buzzword. It is vital in employee retention and attraction, and fostering a healthier, more productive workforce. By definition, wellness is the act of practising healthy habits daily to attain better physical and mental health. And as demands and expectations at the workforce evolve, so must the approach of companies to employee well-being.

There are several companies doing it right. Google, Microsoft and Salesforce, for example, support their employees in several ways. Google for example, has wellness centres on site and provides fitness, well-being and cooking classes on-demand.

And while most companies do not have the resources to offer such perks, they can create systems to support employee health.

Some organisations in the UAE, for instance, offer employees support based on their fitness levels, with funded opportunities to take part in events such as the Adnoc Marathon in Abu Dhabi and Dubai’s 30-day fitness challenge for 30 minutes a day, or Dubai 30x30.

These are all steps in the right direction. According to McKinsey research, in their Great Attrition Study: “The Covid-19 pandemic has led more and more people to re-evaluate what they want from a job – and from life – which is creating a large pool of active and potential workers who are shunning the traditionalist path.”

Much of this remains true even as many parts of the world have bounced back from the pandemic.

In the US alone, the voluntary quit rate is 25 per cent higher than pre-pandemic levels, and McKinsey notes that many companies are likely to find that “job openings will persist in crucial positions,” an issue that can’t be resolved by reshuffling the workforce. This begs the question: how do companies adapt to retain their staff?

While workplace flexibility and meaningfulness of one’s work are seen as the main factors in keeping employees happy, this is brought to life by the employer’s ability to foster a healthy community, a sense of belonging and well-being within the workplace, while being inclusive and highlighting support among colleagues. Companies can do this by giving employees a shared purpose. This could be done by incorporating well-known fitness and wellness events as part of their annual calendar and having a wellness team that works with employees to reach their goals, whether a half marathon or a park run.

Employee wellness, however, goes beyond offering gym memberships or the occasional yoga class. It encompasses physical, mental, and emotional health, and it has a profound effect on job satisfaction, engagement and retention. For example, one study found that 90 per cent of business leaders have seen an improvement in performance and productivity when they’ve implemented wellness practices.

This is not only through good compensation and career progression, but by incorporating mechanisms that put wellness at the top of the list. At some of the companies who do it right, employees’ nutrition, lifestyle, mental health, exercise and ergonomics are considered. Employees at First Abu Dhabi Bank have access to a suite of specialists through an internal portal, where they can follow programmes based on their needs.

In order to attract, retain and look after its employees,

Wellness is vital in employee retention, attraction and to foster a healthier and more productive workforce

company leadership should be focused on a long-term approach and work on a better employee value proposition. In his book, The Infinite Game, Simon Sinek discusses how to play the infinite game in business, which also applies to health.

It’s about understanding that good habits take time to create. By focusing on health, wellness and community, companies will over time foster better cultures.

In a fast-paced world, the pursuit of health is often viewed as a finite game – a short-term objective with a clear endpoint. Sinek discusses the idea of infinite games versus finite games. Applying this mindset to health can lead to more sustainable and holistic approaches to well-being. Companies can do the same to support their employees build the best versions of themselves.

Wellness is key in tying this together. Wellness education also extends outside the workplace and to homes, which means employees inspire and encourage younger generations and their peers to understand that in the infinite game of health, the goal is not to simply win but to keep playing.