Want motivated, satisfied employees who will stay with you and praise your company? Don’t underestimate the key role of managers and get them involved in well-being initiatives.
A company’s commitment to workplace well-being has a huge impact on employees, and not only because of the dramatic increase of workers’ health and happiness. A recent study by the American Psychological Association found that companies where senior managers actively support wellness programs see improvements across the board. Employees overwhelmingly report positive relationships with their supervisors (91%) and coworkers (93%). The vast majority says they feel valued, and 91% say they are motivated to do their best, as compared to 38% of employees whose managers are not committed to workplace well-being.
When well-being is important to senior management, employees are also more likely to be loyal to their company. Job satisfaction skyrockets to 91% (from a mere 30%), and 89% of professionals would recommend their company as a good place to work. The number of employees who plan to look for a new job in the next year also drops by more than 50%.
Despite these and other benefits to focusing on employee well-being, many companies are lagging behind. Only 51% of APA’s survey respondents thought their organization prioritized wellness, and less than half said that workplace well-being was important to senior management. With so much to be gained, it’s time for work-life balance, wellness, and health to move up the priority list.