Assess your business' wellbeing strategies

As a business owner and an employer, are you proud of your business, the working conditions you provide and the quality of what you and your team are producing?

Do you put your mind to the wellbeing of your employees on a regular basis? Below are some key areas that you might want to consider, depending on the size of your team and the nature of your work, to improve and foster employee wellbeing.

Employee engagement:

• Do you ask your employees for feedback?

• Do you involve your employees in decisions about their workplace and your set-up?

Work environment:

• Is your physical work environment comfortable?

• What else could you be doing to improve your employees’ physical wellbeing?

• Do you have or need weather policies for extreme hot or wet conditions?

Awards and recognition:

• Do you recognise your employees' contributions or achievements?

• Do you have regular or monthly awards that create a sense of accomplishment?

Flexible work:

• Have you adapted to flexible working?

• Do your employees feel or know they have options to accommodate personal matters such as medical appointments or life demands such as school pick-up and drop-off?

Health and wellness:

• Do you encourage healthy lifestyles or activities? Or engage in group activities such as walks/runs or wellness challenges?

• Could you provide healthy snack options such as a fruit basket to encourage healthy eating habits?

Work-life balance:

• Do you monitor overtime hours by your employees or out of hours working?

• Are you conscious of the work-life balance of people you directly manage or supervise?

Mental health support:

• Do you use an employee assistance program or provide contact details to resources in shared areas such as staff noticeboard, kitchen or toilets?

• Do you talk about the importance of mental health in conversations with your staff?

Training & Development:

• Do you provide opportunities or encourage employees to seek out courses or skills training during work hours?

• When was the last time you reviewed your on-the-job training?

Communication and support:

• Do you have regular one-on-one meetings with your direct reports?

• How often do you have an all-in staff or team meeting?

Employee benefits:

• Do you offer any reward - leave, vouchers or monetary - to reward outstanding work?

• Are your employees aware of benefits, discounts or commissions available to them?