Creating a Healthy & Happy Workplace
A recent analysis by Pricewaterhouse Coopers has found that businesses that invest in creating a mentally healthy workplace will see a positive return on their investment of $2.30 for every $1 invested. Not only is providing a safe and healthy environment a legal requirement it is just good business! When your employees feel supported, safe, and valued they are more engaged, productive and will stay with your organisation longer… making your team more successful and the business more profitable.
Heads Up released 10 priorities for businesses to help them build a mentally healthy environment, you can read the complete document here. We wanted to highlight 3 of their recommendations that, when implemented, make not only for a better workplace but also make great business sense:
1. Monitor work load and work hours
Everyone needs to take a break and walk away! At Chorus Executive, we have a no eating at your desk rule. Even if you’re flat out, taking 10 minutes away from your desk to eat lunch can give your brain a break and help you get through the rest of your day!
Ensuring your team are balancing their work load with time to rest and refresh will increase productivity and engagement.
2. Create a discrimination free workplace
Diversity in the workplace is an amazing thing. Cultures, religion, age, gender and sexual diversity makes for a variety of perspectives, opinions and experience. Ensure everyone feels welcomed, respected and valued. Provide training for your leaders to ensure an inclusive, welcome and discrimination free culture.
3. Provide clarity on job roles and responsibilities
A lack of clarity in roles and responsibilities can lead to confusion, disorganisation and things slipping through the cracks. Every company can benefit from a clear structure and defined responsibilities, and ensuring your team knows theirs means they will feel secure and supported.
A healthy, happy and positive workplace is good for your team, and for your business. For more information on how to create a psychologically healthy culture for you team, click here.
If this hasn’t convinced you as to why a healthy workplace will benefit your organisation, here are some more statistics!
Unhealthy, unhappy workplaces are costing:
$34 billion a year on Presenteeism (Presenteeism = employees turning up to work when they are unwell (physically or mentally) which leads to a decrease in productivity and often exhaustion and workplace epidemics.)
70% of performance management that could be avoided
2.5 x yearly salary in turnover costs
$480 million is paid in workers’ compensation for work-related mental disorders