The Importance of Wellbeing in The Workplace

In business and academic contexts, wellbeing and happiness have been gaining popularity in the past two decades. Now, wellbeing is not just the absence of any illness, rather it is a broader phenomenon involving cognitive, affective, and behavioral aspects. People spend a lot of time at their workplace, approximately above 40 hours a week. Hence, we must start to understand the importance of wellbeing in the workplace, especially where an employee spends a lot of their lifetime. 

Why is it important?

Your physical, emotional, mental, or social experiences at work don’t only affect you while being at the workplace but they also spill over into other aspects of your life. Most people spend about one-third of their waking time at work, and work stays with them even when they have left the workplace. Hence, the overlap between work and non-work depicts how intertwined and interrelated both domains are and have a reciprocal effect on each other as well. For instance, stress from your daily life combined with work stress can have detrimental effects on your body and mind. 

Health and wellbeing at the workplace are also important due to the presence of elements in the workplace that can pose risk, such as aggression, sexual harassment, workplace violence, or other dysfunctional behavior. Moreover, the working relationship between the bosses and employees also affects many health and wellbeing outcomes. 

Well-being at the workplace is also important because it potentially affects both the worker and the organization, for instance, if you are experiencing poor wellbeing in the workplace, you will be less productive, be more prone to absenteeism, and make lower-quality decisions and less overall contribution to the organization.

So overall, workplace wellbeing can offer your employees the following benefits:

• Increased job satisfaction
• Positive outlook
• Reduce stress
• Improved focus at work
• Better relationships

Benefits for your organization include:

• Less absenteeism
• Higher productivity and performance
• Attract talented people
• Brings teams together
• Enhance morale
• Considered a great place to work

Workplace happiness is a term used to describe the experience of employees who are enthusiastic about their work, are energized by their work, find purpose and meaning in their work, feel committed to their work, and have and maintain good relationships. 

You may find yourself stuck in your position right now but following some tips and tricks can help you improve your overall wellbeing, not only at the workplace but also in other areas of life. 

Tips To Enhance Wellbeing At Work

Practice Mindfulness

Daily mindfulness practice helps you become aware of the present moment, pay attention and enhance your attention span as well. Moreover, it can help reduce stress, depressive symptoms, anger, rumination, improving cognitive capacities, and developing a more positive outlook. 

Practice Self-Compassion

Mindfulness benefits when you engage in self-compassion and be gentle towards yourself as well. Self-criticism hinders progress and motivation. Moreover, studies show that more self-compassionate people are more motivated to bring positive changes for well-being.

Maintain A Positive Work-Life Balance

Balance is important for enhanced wellbeing. Working for hours straight can decrease motivation, and energy leading to fatigue, stress, and even burnout. Take small breaks between work, and also organize fun to do things once you have left your work. For instance, meet your friends, join sports teams, or whatever rejuvenates you. 

Practice Self-Care

Self-care is essential for your mental and physical health. It reduces stress, increases your cognitive capacities, enables you to work and make better choices. Hence, stay hydrated, take proper diet and appropriate sleep, and maintain a good social life. Trivial it may sound but will lead to enhanced wellbeing at home and at the workplace. 

It’s time to make wellbeing at the workplace a priority. And if you find difficulty in maintaining a proper work-life balance, seeking support will work a great deal.