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What Does a Healthy Workforce Look Like?

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Introduction

Throughout recent weeks we’ve discussed in depth the benefits of occupational physiotherapy, how to measure it and how to achieve success and ROI with it as a wellness program.

For the last blog in this series we’re going to conclude with what a healthy workforce looks like once you’ve implemented, evaluated and reaped the benefits of your well-being program of choice and encompassed other elements of organisational culture.

Well-being Program Qualities

If we focus on well-being programs specifically to start, we’ve taken the below points from the CIPD report “Growing the Health and Well-being Agenda: From First Steps to Full Potential”. These are summarised to include the following attributes of what a successful well-being program looks like:

  • The well-being program has formal evaluation methods in place
  • The well-being program is being used by employees! (This often comes from a promotional plan of its benefits from the start)
  • Targets are set and measured against in relation to key metrics such as absence rates
  • One or all of these three areas are covered; health and safety, management of ill-health and prevention and promotion of ill health

Organisational and Environmental Qualities

With regard to employer and environmental qualities, the report mentions the below results of a happy workforce:

  • Employees work in a values-based working environment
  • Open lines of communication exist throughout the organisational hierarchy across all levels
  • There is clarity and unity of organisational purpose

Cultural Qualities

Lastly, let’s conclude with some cultural qualities likely to be present in an organisation with a healthy workforce.

  • Culturally, a work/life balance is encouraged and the culture flexible where flexibility fits and is possible
  • Compensation is fair and spans both salary and benefits
  • A holistic approach is taken covering financial wellness and mental health aspects such as stress

To conclude, the CIPD summarises the above in its graphic displaying the five domains of well-being. You can find this on page 24 of the report.

CIPD Well-being Graphic

Takeaways:

  • A healthy workforce encompasses both cultural and target-driven elements
  • A holistic approach to well-being is best
  • Data matters in achieving wider business success through well-being  

CIPD eGuideWe summarise more of the CIPD report mentioned in our free eGuide which you can download here.