Text by: Rosa Almeida; Ruth Antolín; Mª José Hernandez – INTRAS Foundation
According to the Spanish Institute of Statistics (INE), 59% of workers suffer stress at work, and this is just one of the highly varied reasons that generate presenteeism and absenteeism in companies, which requires a more holistic view of the employee’s well-being.
Currently we can find an increasing number of companies committed in promoting a wellness culture by implementing a series of actions focused on the needs of workers as an important element for the success of the company. This is called a Corporate Wellbeing approach whereby companies create their own DNA of wellness and happiness that clearly accelerates creative and innovation processes.
And what does it mean to create a corporate culture of wellness?
- It is promoted by companies that strive to innovate in human capital, generating positive experiences, a creative atmosphere and an environment conducive to innovation.
- They promote a positive mindset that is applied considering the well-being of their employees, through a set of organizational practices that not only improve their performance but also help to promote the sharing of values and a common purpose.
- Such companies know that is not enough to allocate resources to initiatives, adopting wellness strategies with various practices and services, but also and mostly to listen to employees to offer them benefits that they really value.
- They understand the connection between people’s physical and mental health and the business.
- They become organizations whose vision is not only to be the best in the world, but also to be the best for the world, redefining the sense of success.
And what impact can a positive culture have on organizations and workers?
- Feeling good about their work and be productive instead of worrying about the organization of the company and executive team.
- Feeling proud of their work sharing experiences with colleagues and on social media has not just a positive impact in the worker but also increases the “brand value”.
- Enjoying the work increases engagement, which means less employee turnover and lower costs for the company.
- Recognizing the effort of a culture of well-being in the company, acts as an engine to improve efficiency, productivity and performance.
- Attracting and retaining talent is tremendously positive for both parties.
A large number of companies have shown that investing in services for the benefit of workers is finally reflected in an improvement in the well-being of the company, its reputation and an increase in productivity without loss.
For all this, three companies from Greece and Spain have joined @Workingage_EU with a common commitment to promote best practices within companies, highlighting their innovation in such essential aspects, such as the prevention of occupational risks, having the health of their workers as a priority.
It has been a long journey learning together and now, we are just ready to start the pilot testing adventure in which workers over 45 years will use the WAOW tool to improve their well-being in their jobs and in their leisure time. This tool is designed under a holistic framework that considers health, wellness, safety and sustainability.
Stay tuned to the next blog posts! We will reveal which are the companies collaborating with us @Workingage_EU. We are committed to innovate for workers well-being!
