Top workplace wellness trends for 2022
Solutions that focus on resilience training, virtual mental, mindfulness apps, and positive coping mechanisms will be essential this year.
Workplace wellness is a phrase that has come to prominence in recent years. It might strike you as an over-saturated buzzword.
It matters because it’s a win-win scenario for both employers and employees. Employees who participate in workplace wellness programs tend to be fitter, more productive, and have better morale than employees who do not otherwise treat their chronic conditions.
Related: 5 health and wellness trends likely to affect employers in coming year
Let’s take a look at some of the top workplace wellness trends for 2022.
Financial wellness
The pandemic has hit the economy hard and left many people worse off: one in four employees says they are worse off than two years ago. A recent survey found that 37% of employees live paycheck to paycheck, with 57% of those people saying that they’re struggling financially.
Financial wellness can be a touchy subject around the workspace. Of course, there is no magic money tree, but financial wellness is an example that is a win-win for both employee and employer.
More employers should look to improve financial wellness support because a large body of research proves it improved employee engagement and loyalty. So as we said, it’s a win-win.
Read this piece on why financial wellness programs must target lower-wage employees to learn more.
Mental health & wellness solutions
Although there are clear benefits from working from home, it’s now apparent that many of us are suffering from zoom fatigue. And in short, the pandemic has only served to accentuate pre-existing issues with mental health in all areas of society.
When it comes to procuring and nurturing the best talent, employees need to realize that free pizza or an afternoon or virtual workshops can’t paper over these cracks.
Health and wellness solutions that focus on resilience training, virtual mental health services, mindfulness apps, and positive coping mechanisms will be essential in 2022.
One of the main issues is access; A Readiness study showed that HR and managers are still “gate-keeping” access to mental health services in 61% of cases.
Sleep
Sleep is as essential as eating, drinking, and breathing. Our body uses this time to repair itself, mentally and physically. Failing to get enough sleep can weaken the immune system, anxiety, and depression.
To frame that positively, quality sleep can enhance learning and problem skills. Even studies show that more sleep can lead to employees feeling more motivated during the working day.
This is something that puts the onus on workplace wellness on the employee. An employer doesn’t have the authority or ability to make sure their team members are well-rested. All they can do is to avoid overloading employees with work that extends past their scheduled hours.
Getting a good night’s sleep is easier said than done, of course, and you should never make yourself feel bad if you’re not getting your sleep pattern right. There are different tricks that people swear by, but you know your body better than anyone else.
However, standard practices for better sleep should start with a healthy diet, limiting daytime naps, physical exercise, avoiding blue screens while trying to sleep, and perhaps surprisingly, not sleeping for more than 8 hours!
Holistic wellness
A holistic approach to workplace wellness sees wellness in an employee’s life as connected to their wellness in the workplace, where life and work are intimately connected, where one affects the other.
As work and life become increasingly intertwined, employers mustn’t care just about employees’ work performance but their overall life satisfaction.
The exciting thing about holistic wellness is that there is only so much a company can do to support workers outside of the workplace. However, this trend can be as simple as respecting employees’ time outside of work. Or even the small gesture of their consideration.
Generational awareness
A one-size-fits-all approach will not achieve workplace wellness; each generation has its own values and priorities and, therefore, must be respected and approached differently. For reference, today’s workforce is composed of five different generations: Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Gen X, millennials and Gen Z.
For example, Boomers value health insurance and a retirement plan, Gen X prioritizes salary. At the same time, Millennials and Zoomers appreciate paid time off and control over when they work and from where.
Generational differences are fascinating, especially in how it impacts their behavior in the labor market. For example, catch up on the top benefits Gen Z is looking for when job hunting.
Diversity, equity and inclusion
One of the most significant threats to workplace wellness regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion is the “Emotional Tax”: the strain put on employees who feel they need to be on guard to protect themselves from bias and discrimination.
Creating a sense of belonging is paramount to fulfilling DE&I initiatives. It’s easier said than done, but there are actionable steps you can take right now to lead from the front. For example, you could trial blind hiring or experiment with responsible AI in your HR process to reduce unconscious bias.
Accommodating remote and hybrid workers
So there’s no running from the fact that the remote and hybrid work model is here to stay. Leaders need to account for this to achieve lasting working wellness in their organizations.
The first point worth noting here is that even offering your employees the choice or the flexibility of where and how they work is already a wellness measure in itself.
Secondly, and perhaps this is where the lasting part comes in, how do you assist your remote colleagues in feeling valued and part of the team?
One idea would be to try ‘Buddy Calls’ with your team members. It’s a simple system. Employees are put into pairs each week. They take ten or so minutes first thing on a Monday and Friday to call each other. They can talk about work, or their weekend, or anything else in their life they feel like chatting about. It’s a great way to feel connected, to feel like they’re part of a team and not alone.
A second, and more ambitious idea, is to do a ‘Cook-a-Long’: a virtual cooking workshop led by a different team member (volunteer) each time. The leader chooses a dish, sends out a recipe list, and then you all cook it together over Zoom.
CEO of Spacehutnr Dietrich Moens told us, “Our most popular team building activity since we’ve gone remote has been our Cook-a-Longs. It’s no surprise we have a team of foodies! I think the reason they’re so successful is that they’re hands-on. They’re chaotic, sure, but it’s great for team morale, and plus, you learn how to make some pretty great food!”
Harry Prince is the creative content manager at Spacehuntr.
Read more: