Practical self-care solutions for your workforce
Stress amongst employees is steadily increasing. 35% of them told us that they are more stressed than they were a year ago, with 39% feeling more stressed than two years ago. Thankfully, solutions do exist. The more your employees can take appropriate care of their mental, physical and emotional health, the more resilient they’ll become.
You can help them do that by promoting self-care in the workplace as part of your wellness programme. Emotional, physical and mental self-care are essential for managing stress and preventing burnout. While awareness of this is important, the real value is in helping your employees put self-care theory into practice.
31% of employees told us that they are more likely to stay long-term with an employer that is interested in their mental health.
Self-care: good for employees, good for employers
Our research shows that 46% of employees rate themselves as ‘unhappy’. This is a worryingly substantial 10% rise since 2019 and it indicates the importance of self-care to your workforce. But did you know that there’s a benefit to your company as well?
- Increased productivity: When employees prioritise self-care, they can better manage stress and maintain their energy levels, leading to increased productivity and improved job performance.
- Reduced absenteeism: By promoting self-care, employers can reduce absenteeism due to illness, burnout or mental health issues. Employees who prioritise self-care are less likely to experience prolonged periods of absence.
- Enhanced employee engagement: When employees feel supported in their self-care efforts, they are more engaged and committed to their work. A culture of self-care fosters a positive work environment and strengthens employee loyalty.
- Improved mental health: Prioritising self-care can significantly improve employees' mental health by reducing stress, anxiety and burnout. This, in turn, leads to better overall wellbeing and job satisfaction. As nearly half of employees believe that mental health issues in the workplace have increased in recent years, this is an area where positive change will be embraced by your workforce.
- Higher employee retention: Companies that prioritise employee wellbeing and promote self-care are seen as desirable employers. This can enhance recruitment efforts, as well as keeping existing employees happier and more engaged.
5 practical tips for a workplace self-care culture
Remember, self-care is a continuous journey for each individual, and one that requires commitment and effort for anyone who embraces it. As an employer, the opportunity is there for you to support and encourage any of your workforce who are on their own self-care journey, and these strategies can help you do so.
Lead by example
Encourage senior staff and management to set the tone by openly and genuinely adopting self-care mindsets and practices and having open conversations about these with their direct reports.
Introduce mental health days
Offer, and actively encourage employees to use, dedicated mental health days in addition to annual leave and sick leave. Instead of being treated the same as standard annual leave days, employees can use these days to dedicate specific time to their mental wellbeing.
Incorporate families into wellness activities
Wellness programmes don’t have to be for employees only; why not extend them to family members too? Not only can this boost employee engagement and participation, but it also creates a more inclusive environment.
Whether it’s including kids in fun wellness activities or offering mental health resources to the whole family, this holistic approach demonstrates to any employees with families that they’re valued and cared for by their employer as a person with a life and dependents outside the workplace.
Create quarterly themes to support healthy habits
Designating each quarter with a specific focus on building a healthy habit can provide some much-needed structure to a wellness programme.
Our research tells us that, among our surveyed employees, there are high levels of dissatisfaction around aspects of life such as diet, physical health and quality of sleep. So any of these could be good themes to build upon. Highlighting these themes among your workforce can also help them appreciate the breadth and variety of self-care practices, which they can benefit from.
Recognise and reward self-care efforts
Acknowledge and reward employees who prioritise self-care. This can be done through recognition programmes, incentives, or even incorporating self-care activities into team-building exercises.
There are lots of ways you can do this - host company talks with wellness or mindfulness experts, nutritionists or physical trainers. Offer in-office massages or host free lunchtime yoga or Pilates classes. Partner up with local cafes and encourage employees to get out for a walk or take meetings on the move and enjoy a free coffee on the company. By celebrating self-care, you reinforce its importance and encourage others to follow suit.
Vhi supports and how we can help you*
At Vhi, we offer a range of services, benefits and tools to help your employees learn and practice self-care across their emotional, physical and mental health.
Vhi Wellness Portal
Access healthy recipes, workouts, coaching programmes and much more. Talk to your account lead to learn more.
Mindfulness and Meditation Apps
Improve sleep and lower stress with €30 off an annual subscription to Headspace or Calm apps.
Talks & Seminars
From self-belief to building resilience, we have a range of expert-led talks available for your employees. Talk to your account lead to learn more.
Vhi Verified Health Blog
Health advice from Vhi experts; from healthy eating tips at work to strategies for dealing with work stress.
* Please note some services and benefits are plan dependent.
Vhi Healthcare DAC trading as Vhi Healthcare is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.
Vhi Healthcare is tied to Vhi Insurance DAC for health insurance in Ireland which is underwritten by Vhi Insurance DAC.