When we build a system that puts people over profit we create healthy teams invested in long-term growth
Our modern workplaces are experiencing the highest levels of stress they have in decades, and a variety of factors are playing into this. People are facing rising costs of living, stagnating wages, and a general angst that isn’t just lingering behind our desks, but in our everyday interactions with our clients, co-workers and the public we serve.
Given the current social and economic climate on the East Coast and across Canada, it becomes our responsibility as employers to be proactive in addressing these factors, and in turn keeping our workplaces and the people we work with feeling safe, happy, and healthy.
Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) is often considered in a very narrow, literal sense, when it is much more all-encompassing and deserves more thought. Psychological health and safety in the workplace is increasingly becoming a topic of conversation for employers, and how to ensure the everyday stresses of outside life don’t build up and compound with the everyday work stresses.
When we invest in caring for our staff and ensuring they have access to comprehensive wellness benefits, they deliver higher quality work, miss less time on average, and are less likely to become burned out and move on. It isn’t just a passing trend, or something you show up for once; it is a sustained practice toward employee wellness.
Sounds great in theory, but what does this look like in practice?
It can start with small steps like making coffee or fresh fruit available in the break room or common area or making big moves like investing in a more wellness-centered employee benefit package, but it is a sustained commitment to moving the needle forward. It is important to understand what your employees need, and what would encourage people to support their own wellness. When we build a system that puts people over profit, and more broadly centers wellness as a cost of doing business just like rent or taxes, we create healthy teams that are invested in the business’ long-term growth.
At the outset, this can seem daunting, but there are professionals out there that can help you take the first steps toward creating a culture of wellness in your organization. There are several ways to get started, but it is important first to understand the landscape of your organization. How are people feeling about their work and their workplace? What is impacting people the most? What is the most significant stressor facing your team? Figuring this out can be done in a number of ways, but engaging a professional (like T.R.A.N.S.) to conduct a Workplace Wellness Assessment and provide qualitative and quantitative data to inform your decision with facts will provide the most concrete foundation. Allowing staff the opportunity to discuss their biggest challenges, concerns and areas for improvement with an external voice creates a sense of safety and demonstrates commitment to building something meaningful that centers the needs of the many, without a fear of retribution or reprisal.
With sliding scale rates and customizable services to fit the needs of businesses, non-profits and organizations of all sizes, T.R.A.N.S. remains committed to helping East Coast business owners take tangible steps to create healthier work environments. Reach out today to take advantage of special rates for Halifax Chamber of Commerce members.
Learn more about T.R.A.N.S at transadvocacyns.com or connect with Mica at (902) 410-2955.
