Employee well-being is a topic that is increasingly concerning businesses. This is part of a broader initiative to transform the world of work, notably disrupted by American methods, often considered more flexible. But then, what practices should be adopted, and what are their effects on company productivity?
Let’s focus on these new ways of working.
The End of Presenteeism
Presenteeism is a predominantly European pitfall that consists of working as many hours as possible, even without any real task to accomplish, simply to demonstrate that we are engaged and productive. In reality, it is the opposite of productivity, since an employee practicing presenteeism, often imposed by companies, is more tired and more stressed than an employee managing their own hours. Yet often, working hours are fixed and unchangeable. However, we don’t all have the same rhythm in life.
Employee Empowerment
To avoid this pitfall, which comes to us quite naturally, employees must be empowered to manage their schedules as they see fit. If an employee prefers to wake up very early and leave earlier, since they consider themselves more efficient, it seems natural to let them come in earlier. Conversely, someone who is not a morning person can come in later but stay later. The employee must also be able to adjust their schedule based on their personal life and workload at any given time. Remote work should also be an option that allows employees not to take time off while completing personal tasks. Flexibility thus becomes a key concept.
Chief Happiness Officer, Expert in Employee Well-being
A trendy new profession, the CHO is responsible for modifying the workspace and living rules to allow employees to feel better. This includes setting up rest areas, quiet spaces, and zones where one can work on a couch rather than at a desk. This also includes prohibiting eating at one’s desk, requiring employees to remove their shoes, abolishing the traditional “business suit” in favor of more casual attire, and encouraging gatherings at the coffee machine. They can also implement services that make employees’ personal lives easier, such as creating a package pickup point for personal parcels or providing facilities for employees to exercise, etc.
Employee Engagement
To feel good at work, one must feel included and engaged. The principle is therefore to invite employees to participate in these changes, so they can express their ideas. The employee then changes status and becomes a true collaborator, or even “collabor-actor” as we might say, of their brand. And this is very important, since we must not forget that the first ambassadors of a brand remain those who work for it.
By the Numbers
The recent focus on employee well-being is not insignificant. Indeed, while employee fulfillment is at the center of this revolution, we must not forget that it ultimately benefits the company. According to studies conducted by MIT and Harvard, a happy employee is six times less absent, twice less likely to be sick, and 31% more productive. Ultimately, it is a new organizational approach that benefits everyone.