June is National Wellbeing Month, and Gallagher invites you to celebrate the opportunity to spotlight your workplace's role in creating a supportive and inclusive environment of wellbeing.

Authors: Kim Sandmaier Maggie Fisher

The most recent Workforce Trends Pulse Survey from Gallagher found employers nationwide are taking a more agile approach to retention by addressing employees' top concerns. The survey found that 40% of employers cited employee wellbeing as one of the top three concerns for their organization's leadership, alongside burnout (48%) and talent loss (43%).1

As we move into the next evolution of the workforce and manage the disruption of The Great Resignation, employers have the opportunity to shift focus to be even more employee-centric.

Wellbeing is a group effort

To shift the focus to supporting total employee wellbeing, employers must understand that individual wellbeing cannot be achieved alone. Lack of peer social support or feeling disconnected from others can pose health risks including smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and a lack of physical activity.2 This is where the workplace has a unique opportunity to make a difference. Gallup research found that employees who have a best friend at work are seven times as likely to be engaged in their jobs, produce higher quality work and have higher wellbeing.3

“
40% of employers cited employee wellbeing as one of the top three concerns for their organization's leadership, alongside burnout (48%) and talent loss (43%).

June is National Employee Wellbeing Month. Take the opportunity to ignite your commitment to employee wellbeing by celebrating and supporting your employees through social connection at the workplace in the following ways.

  1. Start at the top. Wellbeing is personal. It involves all the big and little things you do to support your health and wellbeing, and it looks different for everyone. Demonstrate your commitment to your employees' wellbeing through senior leadership communication. Work with your leaders to prepare a memo or video thanking employees and acknowledging all that they have been through, and rebrand wellbeing as an opportunity to take care of each other.
  2. Integrate wellbeing into ongoing manager conversations. Employees can benefit from managers who work wellbeing into ongoing conversations. Training managers on your organization's wellbeing resources that are available through current benefits and perks is a good place to start. Review performance management practices that equip managers to include wellbeing goals in employee development plans.
  3. Incentivize with recognition. Recognition is a powerful motivator. Since 2020, 51% of employers reported using a cash incentive to increase participation; however, there are other ways to motivate employee's wellbeing as well. Employee recognition can go a long way to reinforce positive performance, with 35% using recognition as an incentive.4 Praising employees in-person or in an all-staff meeting can make them feel proud.
  4. Adopt new policies around moving more at work — in the office or at home. Studies have shown a strong correlation between long periods of sitting and elevated risk of illness or injury. Help employees reverse a sedentary lifestyle through awareness campaigns focused on the dangers of inactivity. This policy could include encouraging employees to take a 15-minute walk break for every 90 minutes of sitting. You can further encourage employees to team up with a buddy for accountability to move more during the day. Consider reviewing workloads, as high work demands will reduce efficacy in adopting any healthy habit.
  5. Encourage social connection. Wellbeing challenges are a great way to motivate employees to adopt or reengage in healthy habits. Foster a sense of connection through wellbeing support networks. These networks help challenge participants to connect with others who share similar exercise interests, such as a network of Peloton users, yoga enthusiasts or individuals training for community races. As described by Gallup, people with thriving social wellbeing have great relationships, which give them positive energy every day.3

According to our Gallagher Better WorksSM Insights Report, emerging trends show that 48% of employers plan to add a wellbeing strategy by 2023. This number has increased by 9% since 2019.6 Never more apparent than now is the link between physical and emotional health. It's motivating organizations to look for compatible — and even integrated — options that equip employees to address both.

As you explore ways to promote Employee Wellbeing Month, and beyond, Gallagher is here to help. The Physical and Emotional Wellbeing Consulting team at Gallagher can offer ideas that help you with a wellbeing action plan for your organization long-term. Reach out to Gallagher today to get a conversation started.

Author Information

Sources

1Gallagher, "Q4 2021 Workforce Trends Pulse Survey," Jan. 2022. PDF file.

2Shirom, Arie, Sharon Toker, Yasmin Alkaly, Orit Jacobson and Ran Balicer." Work-Based Predictors of Mortality: A 20-Year Follow-Up of Healthy Employees," Health Psychology, 2011, Vol. 30, No. 3, 268-275. PDF file.

3Rath, Tom and Jim Harter. Wellbeing: The Five Essential Elements. Simon and Schuster, 2010.

4Gallagher, "Benefits Strategy & Benchmarking Survey," 2022

5Gallagher, "People & Organizational Wellbeing Strategy,"2021 Workforce Trends Report Series, Sept 2021. PDF download.

6Gallagher, "2021 Q1 Gallagher Better Works Insights Report: The Path Forward," Jan 2021. PDF download.

Disclaimer

Consulting and insurance brokerage services to be provided by Gallagher Benefit Services, Inc. and/or its affiliate Gallagher Benefit Services (Canada) Group Inc. Gallagher Benefit Services, Inc. is a licensed insurance agency that does business in California as "Gallagher Benefit Services of California Insurance Services" and in Massachusetts as "Gallagher Benefit Insurance Services." Neither Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., nor its affiliates provide accounting, legal or tax advice.

"World's Most Ethical Companies" and "Ethisphere" names and marks are registered trademarks of Ethisphere LLC. Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. named one of the World's Most Ethical Companies® for 2022. Ethisphere Institute, March 2022.

© 2022 Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.