12 Things You Didn’t Know Affect Employee Wellness

Written by: Savannah Hayes | November 8, 2024

Wellness encompasses more than just physical health. There are different dimensions depending on who you ask. Typically, wellness is categorized into:

• Social wellness
• Physical wellness
• Mental wellness
• Occupational wellness
• Financial wellness

While financial wellness varies greatly depending on career and personal lifestyle, this article focuses on the other four areas by highlighting 12 factors that impact employee wellness.

12 Things That Affect Employee Wellness

1. Inspiration from leadership

Inspiration is more than simply being in a good mood. Inspired people are more likely to pursue goals autonomously, driven by the belief that they will succeed. 

When company leadership inspires team members, employees are more likely to take action while using their skills. This leads to better work engagement and higher job performance.

Tip: Take some time to discover what your team members are passionate about, then, find ways to inspire that passion within the workplace.

2. Authenticity in the workplace

The ability to be yourself at work plays an important role in wellness. Research consistently shows that authentic self-expression is related to better overall wellness. 

Being yourself within a team helps you stay engaged and allows for deeper connections, leading to stronger collaborative efforts and outcomes.

3. Leaving work at home

Separating work life from home life, commonly known as work-life balance, is key to personal wellness. Being in the present moment is vital, and that’s not possible when you’re distracted by work deadlines or an overflowing inbox.

Allowing employees to set boundaries and respecting them can enhance their personal wellness and work engagement. Employees who can “turn off” at home are better able to “turn on” again once they return to work.

Tip: For remote workers, having a designated office space contributes to better work-life balance.

4. Schedule flexibility

Along with being able to leave work at work, being able to set boundaries around working hours makes a difference for employees. People have different preferences for the times and days they work best, and which days they can best optimize their ability to focus.

Tip: Offer some amount of schedule flexibility. It can lead to less work-related stress, fewer sick days, and less conflict for your team members.

5. Making a positive impact at work

Knowing that you’re making a positive difference in the world is a pretty good motivator. The American Psychological Association recently completed a survey that found most people do feel like their work has a positive impact on society. Even more so, 9 out of 10 respondents agreed that they’re proud of the work they do.

Overall, creating a win-win scenario for all employees – working towards something positive means employees feel positive, engage more at work, and experience better wellness.

6. An energizing culture

Energizing work is the opposite of burnout. It means feeling uplifted by your work instead of weighed down. One way to feel energized at work is to strengthen skills.

When employees can use their strengths on the job, they enjoy a higher quality of life, higher work engagement and productivity, and are less likely to quit.

Tip: Let employees discover what energizes them and create opportunities to flourish. This leads to happier individuals while also boosting the bottom line.

7. Comfort of the work environment

For office workers who spend 40+ hours a week in the same environment, the quality of that environment is extremely important for wellness. Interior design, temperature and climate, ergonomics, and size of workspace all affect overall comfort at work and therefore productivity.

Surprisingly, temperature has a significant effect on workplace performance. Furthermore, research shows that pleasant interior design, sound quality, and air quality also considerably affect employee comfort, wellness, and productivity.

Tip: Try asking your employees if there’s anything about the workplace they wish could be changed to improve comfort.

8. Clarity of roles and responsibilities

If someone doesn’t know what they’re supposed to accomplish, how can they succeed? Clarity gives employees a plan, allowing them to focus on tasks and priorities with precision.

Clarity also reduces the time wasted wondering what to do next, relieving stress from ambiguity. Employees with clear roles and responsibilities are 53% more efficient and show an increase in work performance of 25%.

Tip: Creating work plans before starting any new project will clearly outline roles and responsibilities for each team member.

9. Trust among the team

Trust means believing there will be mutual respect and kindness in any given situation. This goes for both employees and managers alike. When trust exists, collaboration and innovation thrive, and people feel comfortable sharing ideas without the fear of disrespect.

When a workplace lacks trust between team members, departments, and leadership, employees are more likely to burn out. Maintaining trust keeps attitudes toward the workplace positive and healthy – making for an environment with better engagement, productivity, and overall wellness.

With trust in the workplace, the sense of belonging also grows stronger. When people collaborate, they get to know more about one another, creating a sense of belonging. This belonging contributes to acceptance and understanding in the workplace.

10. Proper tools for the job

Ergonomics go a long way, but so does having the proper tools to get the job done. Having the proper tools for the job can mean having technology that meets employee needs, efficient software and team organization, appropriate leadership, and clear processes within the workplace.

Having proper tools can also mean having the opportunity to speak your mind in the workplace. Being able to influence decisions that affect work tasks, relationships, or the environment contributes to being happy with the work you’re doing.

Tip: Create a budget that supports efficiency at work. Budget items could include hardware, software, or training for career development.

11. Team diversity

Team diversity adds variety to a company that goes beyond personality differences. Different cultures, mindsets, and experiences enrich a company while providing insight into different customer experiences. Having a variety of cultures within a team also leads to stronger creativity.

With a highly diverse team, employees are able to innovate in ways that support many different people, as well as allow the team to pivot quickly if necessary due to the variety of skills. Even teams that are dispersed across the world experience stronger innovation, engagement, and overall satisfaction at work.

12. Alignment of values

To bring alignment among workers’ personal and professional values, share what your organization’s mission and goals are. Help team members envision the world you want to create and build together.

Having an alignment among values leads to higher job satisfaction. That alignment also contributes to higher engagement at work because the employees truly believe in what they’re working towards.

Tip: Share your company’s mission and vision statements somewhere all employees can see or access.

Get Employee Wellness Insights

There has never been a better time to prioritize wellness in the workplace. Get in touch today to discover the Refresh Wellness Platform for in-depth insights and innovative employee mental wellness support.