Work wellbeing check-ins

 Wellbeing check- ins for employees

Key components to workplace wellbeing are a combination of employer and employee responsibilities to maximize wellbeing and performance at work. A wellbeing check- in helps the employee assess their wellbeing and actions they can take to improve it.

Stevenson and Farmer (2017) reviewed mental health at work practices by employers and identified recommendations for big and small companies to support wellbeing at work. These included wellbeing check-ins for staff and access to coaching and counselling to support individuals at work. However, wellbeing at work is more than an employer responsibility and an employee entitlement. Everyone who wants to work needs to ensure that they take their responsibilities to be as work – fit as possible, in a balanced relationship with the employer. Each of the components below involves an employer and an employee responsibility.

Work-Life Balance– This refers to not having to work too many hours and being able to access options for flexibility in how and when you work. There may be key life events or times when our relationships or problems at home, place demands upon us and whilst we can take steps to mitigate the impact and try to improve the situation, flexibility from our employer is really helpful. At times of extra busy-ness your employer might ask more from you but these periods should be short to ensure you don’t get burnt out and you should be treated fairly.

Health and Safety– Feeling safe and secure at work with the right tools to do the job and able to make your contribution corresponds with the employee’s responsibility for looking after their physical and mental health and that includes accepting help and following medical advice when required.

Employee work enjoyment and development opportunities – This is underpinned by feeling supported and valued by your manager, access to praise and reward, having good relationships with colleagues and being able to have your ‘Say’ on how work is done as part of purposeful work.

A wellbeing check-in draws the employee’s attention to their own health and wellbeing in their work context and helps the employee think about actions to maintain and improve their role in their own wellbeing.

Employee wellbeing responsibilities

1. As an employee you need to keep yourself as physically healthy as possible to maximize your working life and opportunities.

• Are you monitoring your weight, diet, alcohol? Are you exercising and sleeping enough?
• Do you need further information on recommended levels or could you consult your GP?
• https://www.powerofpositivity.com/much-sleep-need-according-age
• https://www.healthguideinfo.com/fitness-and-weight-management/
• https://www.alcohol.org/faq/safe-level-of-drinking/
• Do you need to make a change?

2. Are there circumstances or relationships that bring you down regularly in your personal life?

• Do you need to identify the problems in more detail?
• Do you know how this problem impacts your work?
• Can you make a plan to improve the situation?

3. Are relationships at work good enough to do the job?

• Do you need to address key relationships that are holding you back?
• Are there HR processes or advisers that can support you in improving this relationship/s?

4. Are you keeping your mental health in check?

• Are you monitoring your wellbeing and noticing when it slips?
• Are you managing stress effectively?
• https://atriumclinic.co.uk/managing-stress/
• Do you recognise when your self esteem and confidence drops?https://atriumclinic.co.uk/managing-confidence-and-self-belief/
• Do you know the triggers for improvement and deterioration in your wellbeing?
• Can you keep a diary to monitor wellbeing?
• Can you self monitor your wellbeing using tools such as https://atriumclinic.co.uk/self-assessment-resources/
• Have you got strategies to maximize wellbeing such as mindfulness, exercise, talking with others and social life, relaxation, faith, access to nature, positive psychology interventions eg. gratitude
• 

• Do you have a counselling or access to a wellbeing coaching service that can support you to make changes?

References

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/658145/thriving-at-work-stevenson-farmer-review.pdf