Is your workplace a wellness mirage? A closer look at employee wellbeing initiatives

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This is according to a Gallup survey of 151 CHROs at large companies earlier this year that revealed wellbeing ranks among top organizational priorities for 23% of CHROs. Many companies have implemented wellbeing initiatives or offered resources to address employee mental health. However, only 21% of employees strongly agree that their organization cares about their overall wellbeing, the report found.“For organizations, failing to deliver on promises to support employee wellbeing can disappoint and further frustrate employees,” said Gallup. “Employees may perceive these initiatives as empty words if they see no results, even when leaders do things to channel resources into supporting employee wellbeing, such as providing mental health services.”Continued frustration can lead to a phenomenon Gallup called “carewashing,” where organizations face accusations of providing superficial support for workplace wellbeing while neglecting the root causes of burnout.Why should employers prioritize building a high-quality wellbeing initiative? A focus on employee wellbeing can lead to higher engagement, less burnout and lower propensity for turnover, the report said.Meaningful initiatives should start with an assessment of current systems and resources, said Gallup. Many employers rely on employee assistance programs (EAPs) for employee mental health support, but many employees rate the services they receive as only somewhat helpful.Related: Despite increased focus by employers, workers expect more wellbeing benefitsIn addition, nearly one-third of employees indicated they do not know if they have access to an EAP program, and among those who do, 81% say they’ve never used it, the survey found.Building a comprehensive wellbeing initiative requires a holistic approach that addresses career, social, physical, financial and community wellbeing, said Gallup. Initiative focused on career wellbeing are particularly important and an easy starting place for employers to connect work and life.Finally, integrating wellbeing into coaching conversations between employees and their managers is key, the report said. Managers serve as the primary connection between an employer and an employee, but only 36% of employees say they have talked to their manager or supervisor about their personal wellbeing. Increasing the frequency of these discussions can show employees that their organization cares, said Gallup.