Over the past couple of years, businesses around the world have started to notice the importance of creating a workplace that not only promotes wellbeing but also the collaboration with the employees. In 2019, there are five key workplace trends that are designed to help achieve this:
1) Allowing for flexible working
A trend that’s rapidly sweeping the nation is allowing employees flexible working. If a business introduces this, it’s clear that not only will it help with the employee’s wellbeing as it will give them the freedom to work at times that suit them (within reason) and at home, but it will also allow for lower overheads as there is less requirement for office space. This helps to promote a healthier balance between life and work and can result in employees feeling more motivated, therefore producing higher-quality work.
2) An increase in personalisation
Carrying the belief that no two employees have the same wellbeing, this trend ensures that there is attention paid to the individual wellbeing and health of the employees in a personalised way. It’s important to ask what employees are lacking and if there is anything that the business can do in order to align with their needs. It will also help to increase the level of collaboration between the departments as more discussions can be arranged, decreasing the gap between them.
3) Attention paid to employee burnout
Similarly to the above trend, this proactive approach will make sure that a business will notice any signs of stress that the employees are facing before it impacts both their health and the work that they produce. Signs of employee burnout can include a high amount of absences and low productivity; and if not addressed with become a large financial burden for a business.
4) Promoting wellbeing through technology
By offering discount codes for wellbeing apps and fitness websites, companies are supporting the health of their employees. Alongside promoting fitness schemes like ‘cycle to work’ or ‘walk to work’, this allows for an increase in employee motivation. Allowing for collaboration as employees will feel motivated to improve their wellbeing by working together to achieve these goals, it will create a more relaxed atmosphere within the workplace.
5) The importance of diversity and equality within the workplace
Equality and diversity are one of the main concerns of many businesses internationally. Affecting both workplace wellbeing and workplace collaboration, this trend will ensure that there is gender equality within the organisation (enacting this through gender neutralisation) and that there are no underrepresented groups. This can be acted through not discriminating based on sexuality and race both within the hiring process and also throughout their employment at the company.
It’s clear that these trends will continue to grow throughout the year and that other trends will arise. It’s important to promote the wellbeing and collaboration within a company, otherwise, it won’t only lead to a low level of employee satisfaction but it will decrease the amount of work and profits that a business receives.
