5 effective ways to achieve SME wellbeing

SMEs are different

Whether you’re a business owner, manager or employee, if the company you work for isn’t a large organization with a large number of employees, then you’ll know just how different working for a small to medium business (SME) can be.

Some of the benefits of smaller organizations include:

• agility – it’s often easier for SMEs to react to changes than larger organizations
• employee satisfaction – SME staff often report higher levels of job satisfaction
• research suggests SME staff have lower stress levels than average

Why promote well-being within an SME?

Simply put, it makes good business sense. Corporate wellness programs can have benefits in terms of reduced sickness absence, improved productivity, and higher levels of employee satisfaction.

Promoting well-being within an SME is as easy as…

Strategy. Getting a health and well-being strategy together for your SME won’t be a five-minute process, but getting one drawn up will help you identify the key areas you want to focus on and how you’re going to go about achieving them.

Training. The provision of training in various areas will have a big impact on your staff. There are providers out there who specialize in everything from posture to dietary advice. By incorporating training into your health and well-being strategy, it means you’re helping to build a positive company culture and demonstrating how much health is valued.

Ideas. Involve the workforce in workplace health and wellbeing. Health isn’t a hierarchical top-down issue – it affects us all. So people will appreciate being involved in taking the well-being strategy forward. Health cover. Looking after your staff’s health doesn’t need to be limited to the time they’re at work. Business health insurance can be tailored to suit your organization’s needs too, so it suits your budget as well as your requirements.

Tool up. Use employee surveys and feedback to see how you’re doing. This can also enable you to take a more holistic view of well-being and see how it intersects with motivation and staff satisfaction. And the data you gain will help you to improve and refine your strategy as you progress.

Promoting health and well-being within an SME context won’t require a huge effort of will – but it’s worth remembering that it has the potential to be a significant change of real business value. The key to promoting workplace well-being is communication. If staff are aware of the company’s passion for well-being, they’re likely to respond positively.

Also Read: Mental Wellness: 6 Steps To Mental Wellbeing