Employee wellness programmes have become crucial in HR policy, aiming for improved staff wellbeing and business success.
- The initial focus on ‘why’ these programmes exist has been overshadowed by ‘what’ they offer, neglecting personal employee needs.
- Wellness initiatives often fail to adapt to individual needs, becoming mere tick-box exercises with limited engagement.
- Real-world application of perks is often flawed, leading to underused benefits and employee dissatisfaction.
- To create effective wellness strategies, HR must tailor programmes to individual needs and involve employees in decisions.
Employee wellness programmes have become essential in enhancing staff wellbeing, which is integral not only to personnel management but also to achieving business success. However, the progress of these programmes has stalled, becoming another task to complete rather than a meaningful initiative. The challenge lies in the failure to focus on the underlying purpose or ‘why’ behind these programmes, thereby limiting their effectiveness.
The concept of understanding the ‘why’ was highlighted by Simon Sinek, who argued that knowing why a company does what it does can enhance its external communication. However, this idea has been largely confined to the marketing realm, rather than being expanded to other areas such as employee wellness. Current wellness programmes often focus too much on the ‘what’—the specific benefits offered—without properly considering the reasons for offering them, thus failing to address the unique needs of individual employees.
Many wellness benefits appear static and do not adapt to the changing needs of employees throughout different life stages. Programmes must transcend basic offerings like gym memberships or fruit bowls, which might not resonate with all staff members. The reality is that these initiatives often become tick-box exercises, without genuine support for individual needs.
Moreover, the execution of these perks can be flawed. For instance, while it seems beneficial for a company to offer discounts or vouchers, the complicated process to redeem such perks can deter employees from using them. This disconnect between the availability of benefits and their practicality results in low engagement and satisfaction levels.
This lack of engagement in wellness programmes leads to a negative cycle; despite rolling out numerous benefits, HR departments often see minimal uptake, which can mislead financial teams and executives. This results in decreased confidence in the effectiveness of these initiatives, reinforcing the perception that they are ineffective. In reality, a superficial approach that overemphasises benefits without engagement contributes to this scenario.
Breaking this cycle requires a significant shift in strategy. HR leaders need to reconsider the plethora of underused and prescriptive benefits currently in place. Moving forward, it is crucial to develop a strategy that is adaptable, personalised, and accessible, ensuring that employees have a say in what benefits them. By starting with a clear understanding of the ‘why’, HR teams can fundamentally transform wellness programmes, aligning them more closely with employees’ genuine needs.
Rethinking wellness strategies by focusing on the ‘why’ can significantly enhance employee support and organisational impact.
