Well-being at the workplace is not only important for the individual employee, but it’s also a key factor for the company’s success. By prioritizing well-being and implementing concrete initiatives, both employees and employers can contribute to creating a healthy and productive workplace.
Why is well-being so important for a workplace?
When employees thrive, the company thrives. An atmosphere characterized by well-being, commitment and motivation not only promotes job satisfaction, but it can also contribute to achieving success in the company and for the employees’ career in the long term. Let’s take a closer look at why well-being is so important and how both employees and employers can contribute to promoting it.
Productivity
Well-being is a key factor when it comes to increasing productivity. When employees feel comfortable and motivated, they are more likely to perform at their best and be effective in their tasks. This is what several studies show, among these are: “Trivsel – et stærkere Danmark” from “Videncenter for God Arbejdslyst”, which Kraka Advisory and Krifa have made. According to this study, Employees who feel good and are motivated work wise tend to be more productive and efficient in their tasks.
Less absence
A healthy workplace with a focus on well-being typically has a lower amount of absence hours. Employees who feel comfortable are less likely to get sick or take days off for stress-related reasons. You can read more about the relation between work related stress and absence in our blog post here.
Increased retention of employees
Companies that prioritize well-being tend to have higher employee retention. “Well-being in the workplace – a conceptual and ethical clarification” written by Christian T. Lystbæk, The Development Department, VIA UC, describes how well-being in the workplace can be an important parameter in relation to the recruitment and retention of employees and managers. Satisfied employees are more likely to stay with a company for the long term, which reduces the cost of recruiting and training new employees.
A better working environment increases creativity and innovation
Well-being creates a positive working environment where employees feel respected, valued and included. Several national and international studies point to this, including HK, in their literature review of the connection between well-being and productivity. When employees are happy and feel safe, they are more likely to think creatively and come up with innovative solutions to problems. In an environment where new ideas are encouraged and supported, there are better conditions for creativity.
Tips to promote well-being in the workplace
With these tips, both employees and employers can contribute to promoting well-being in the workplace, which will benefit all parties involved.
Tips for the employer:
Tips for the employer:
- Carry out regular well-being measurements: By carrying out both quantitative surveys and holding individual interviews with employees on an ongoing basis, you can identify any challenges or areas where there is room for improvement.
- Promote a work/life balance: Introduce policies and initiatives that promote a healthy work-life balance, e.g. flexible working hours or opportunities to work from home. A system to keep track of employees’ hours is also a great tool for ensuring that employees do not work too many hours.
- Arrange team building activities: By participating in team building activities, the employees will get to know each other better and understand each other’s strengths, weaknesses and work style. This can contribute to improving cooperation and increasing efficiency.
- Recognize and reward: Recognize and reward employees for their efforts and results. A feeling of appreciation can strengthen motivation and well-being. It can, for example, be done through a personal conversation, where you as a manager explain how the employee’s efforts have contributed to the team or the company as a whole. In addition, you can consider giving a reward to the employee, e.g. a bonus, gift card, extra days off, or even a special work-related benefit such as the opportunity to participate in a course or conference.
- Offer development opportunities: Offer courses, seminars or other training and development opportunities so that employees can grow and develop both personally and professionally.
Tips for the employee:
- Strive for a healthy work/life balance: Put work aside when the working day is over and prioritize time to relax, to see family and friends and to pursue your hobbies.
- Be open in your communication: Be open and honest in your communication with management and colleagues. Share your concerns and ideas constructively and in time before it gets too disturbing for you.
- Prioritize relations: Invest in building good relationships with your colleagues, both by participating in activities planned by the workplace and, if you feel like it, by seeing colleagues outside of work.
- Seek development: Strive for personal and professional development. Ask for training opportunities and be active in learning new skills and knowledge.
How digital time registration can create clearer boundaries between working time and free time
A digital time recording system such as Intempus can be a powerful tool for establishing, making visible and maintaining healthy boundaries between working time and free time in the workplace, which promotes a healthy balance between work and personal life. The system contributes to clarity around expectations regarding the extent and location of working hours, and this transparency gives both employees and management a clear picture of when the working day starts and ends, which reduces misunderstandings and conflicts.
The system also provides a continuous overview of the (overtime) working hours, which creates a better basis for the employer to plan future working hours and thereby reduce the risk of overtime work. And finally, a smarter and more automatic time registration solution contributes to a more efficient and less time-consuming time registration process for the employees. Hereby, more time and focus can be dedicated to other tasks.
Interested in a system for digital time registration?
With Intempus, you can get a tailored, digital solution for time registration that helps you keep track of working hours, absences, overtime, driving, expenses and much more. Contact us for a non-binding chat about your options on +45 26 390 400 or book a free demo:
Sources: Krifa.dk, Aarhus University, HK.dk.
