June is Employee Wellbeing Month – the ideal time to double down on your employee wellbeing strategy, (or give the matter some serious thought if you haven’t yet got one). So, don’t be lulled into a false sense of security by the summer vibes and easy living. Before you grab your shades and check the drinks machine is fully stocked with ice cold cans, let’s chat about issues that aren’t so relaxing – work-life balance and burnout.
In this article, we’re diving into striking that elusive work-life balance and waving goodbye to burnout once and for all, whether you’re all-in on your employee wellbeing strategy, or just dipping your toes.
Why Work: Life Balance and Burnout Should Be on Your Radar
Mental Health UK’s Burnout Report 2024 revealed one in five working adults took time off work last year due to poor mental health caused by pressure or stress.
Lack of work-life balance and burnout are key factors that can infiltrate and negatively impact many fundamental areas of your business, including:
- Productivity – Employees struggling with work-life balance and burnout issues tend to experience reduced productivity, creativity, and focus.
- Retention – Poor work-life balance and burnout are primary reasons why talented employees leave, consequently increasing recruitment and training costs.
- Company Culture – A drained, unengaged workforce can lead to a toxic culture, compromising your employer branding, and creating a vicious cycle of stress.
But what are the solutions to these highly nuanced problems? How do you begin to unpick them and factor them into your employee wellbeing strategy?
What Do Employees Want to See in Your Employee Wellbeing Strategy?
Here are the top suggestions by the employees who took part in the Mental Health UK survey:
- “Work-life balance (56%)”
- “Having a supportive line manager (43%) or supportive colleagues and peers (42%)”
- “Professional support for mental health such as Employee Assistance Programmes or coaching (29%) and organisations offering staff training around mental health at work (24%)”
The feedback is clear, They want more work-life balance and support from employers to achieve it, ultimately leading to less frazzlement! While you can’t wave a magic wand and expect to alleviate all their problems overnight, the professional support they crave can be instantly game-changing.
Manage Mental Health and Regain Control
Stress Matters wellbeing workshops such as Managing Mental Health and Resilience: How to Regain Control incorporate meaningful support into your employee wellbeing strategy to truly make a difference.
This is because they’re designed to help your teams thrive by teaching them how to:
- Recognise the signs – Spot the most common risks to mental health in the workplace and discover methods to protect their own mental health
- Promote a Supportive Environment – Create a culture where discussing mental health isn’t just accepted but encouraged
- Identify Early Burnout Warnings –Increase self-awareness of when they’re approaching burnout territory, and intervene before it’s too late
- Build Resilience – Understand why some of us are more resilient than others and learn to boost resilience in different parts of their life
Bringing It All Together
At the end of the day, addressing work-life balance and burnout in your employee wellbeing strategy workplace wellbeing isn’t just a box to tick. Conversely, it’s a vital component for attracting, recruiting and retaining great talent who buy into your organisation’s visions and values.
So, don’t waste this golden opportunity to cut the token gestures in Employee Wellbeing Month, and get real about proactively supporting your teams.
At Stress Matters, we help both SMEs and large organisations design and implement a powerful employee wellness strategy.
Get in touch with us today to start tackling burnout and promoting work-life balance for a happier, healthier workplace.
