Workplace wellbeing: it’s near the top of the agenda now, and not before time.
First and foremost, it’s about everyone’s physical and mental health, of course.
I’m guessing it would be hard to find an employer, of whatever size, that would wilfully disregard those things.
But, for me, it’s also about providing a working environment – either physical or virtual – which encourages creativity, ambition, hard work and, ultimately, fulfilment.
Simplistically, it boils down to this: a happy workforce is a productive workforce.
However, our new, modern way of working makes that an increasingly difficult environment to create.
We go into the office less. We meet up with fewer of our customers and colleagues. We depend on our technological tools to keep us talking.
It’s the old ‘water cooler’ argument – not having those impromptu chats that used to punctuate the hours we spent at our desks; missing out on the social aspect of belonging to a team; and, sadly for many, feeling isolated and alone.
The whole ‘hybrid’ thing is helping now, of course.
People are returning to their offices (some even totally) and, as a result, wellbeing has become a kind of currency.
Businesses of every size are reimagining their office space to accommodate this new era of connectivity and collaboration.
And they are reassessing their hardware and software provision to ensure their people are appropriately equipped.
Those that are making that investment – both from a people perspective and a financial perspective – will be the ones that will really kick on, I think.
Those for whom those things feel unimportant and cost-ineffective may end up feeling like they missed a trick.
That’s because it’s not just about ensuring your existing teams are happy and fulfilled.
It’s also about being able to recruit the best talent.
Demonstrating how an organisation values its workplace wellbeing can be a potent, differentiating factor in the hiring process.
Flexible Group totally gets it.
We are helping those organisations respond to those challenges; lighting up the UK’s commercial real estate in ways which provide businesses small and large with the ability to deliver on their wellbeing agendas.
Creating uncomplicated, slick, super-fast connected environments in the office – but then replicating that experience remotely via clever unified communication platforms and applications.
When working from the office, everyone’s stuff just works.
When working from anywhere, everyone’s stuff just works.
And I think that makes everyone feel, well…creative, hard-working, ambitious and fulfilled.
Basically, all those aforementioned components that contribute to a sense of workplace wellbeing.
It’s amazing how tech can do that: understand what are essentially human sensitivities and yet make a value-added contribution to the way lives are led.
Hyperbole?
Well, I don’t think so.
Just ask all of those people who, thanks to an employer for whom wellbeing really matters, are getting the work-life balance right.
· Paul Gibbs is Managing Director of Flexible Group – technology, made easy. He blogs regularly on how businesses can leverage the power of technology to succeed and grow.
· To learn more about how Flexible Group can help your business, visit www.flexiblegroup.co.uk
created Monday 22nd of August 2022
