My path to a career in supporting employee resilience and wellbeing at work was anything but conventional.
After joining HM Prison Service at the age of 25, I spent more than 20 years working in prisons with high security in the UK. It was a difficult job that involved working with men who were convicted of murder or other serious crimes.
I have always been fascinated with how the mind works. However, my career as a prison psychologist took me into some very dark places.
It was my job to understand the psychological factors behind criminal behavior. It was important to build relationships with prisoners that allowed them to be comfortable enough to tell me everything about their crimes.
These crimes are too horrifying to describe in detail. You’ll never forget it. You cannot unhear those horrifying stories. Even if you are a trained professional, getting inside the criminal’s mind can cause serious mental problems.
Early in my career, this potential was really felt by me. Two colleagues sued the prison service on grounds of psychiatric injuries. There was little awareness of employee well-being at that time. Both had suffered harm from their prison service jobs.
Why didn’t we all feel the same impact from our jobs? What makes us more vulnerable or resilient at work? I wanted to know more about this subject. To find out, I decided to do a PhD.
While the work that we do is important, it’s not the only thing that impacts our mental health. The current workplace culture, past life experiences, and even who we are can all play a role. Our current situation is also important. At the time my two co-workers sued the prison service, I was in a very good position. I was fortunate to have a loving and supportive family, a comfortable and safe home, and friends who were always there for me. All of this helped me be resilient and thrive at work.
My PhD research has given me the opportunity to apply my specialist knowledge to businesses, individuals and organisations every day.
Leaders can help their staff in many ways. The first step to achieving wellbeing is to define it. It’s more than just offering a fruit bowl, doing yoga at lunchtime or having an annual staff event. All of these are lovely. These would not have been able to help my former prison colleagues thrive if they were offered any of these. They’re not likely to make your staff thrive.
Here are five of my top tips for building resilience and fostering well-being in your workplace.
Understanding your employees at an individual level
It shouldn’t be intrusive but you should know enough about the lives of your colleagues outside of work to help them in case they need it. Do they have children of school age, for example? Do they have elderly parents or children? Create an organizational culture that allows employees to perform at their best.
Train managers and take care of them
If you are going to spend your money anywhere, then it should be on training your managers how to manage people. Petros has found that when managers receive resilience training, sick leave is reduced, morale increases, and staff retention improves. Only one out of five companies currently does this.
Create a positive working environment
It doesn’t need to be expensive. Is the technology working (or does the internet connection often cut out)? The toilets are kept clean and stocked with supplies. Does the office have a good temperature and ventilation? Change the chairs in your bathrooms if they are uncomfortable! It’s a great way to win quickly – and what business doesn’t like a quick victory? It can make employees feel valued.
Empower your employees
It is powerful to give your employees autonomy and let them make their own decisions. Give your staff the opportunity to voice their opinions, set deadlines and help them achieve goals. It’s a great way to boost morale, increase job satisfaction, build trust, motivate your employees, and improve their overall well-being. This has also been proven to increase productivity and innovation. It is also beneficial to your business.
Work-Life Balance
Flexibility is the key to a healthy lifestyle. We’ve seen people’s expectations about work-life balance change dramatically since the pandemic. Many employees value flexibility over a raise. Make sure your policies on flexible working are clear and communicated effectively.
Happy employees are the key to a successful business
Humans can’t thrive and bloom 365 days of the year. Nothing in nature does this.
We want to ensure that as many of our employees are happy and healthy as possible.
While it is morally right to look after the wellbeing of your employees, there’s also a strong link between employee well-being and business performance.
Mental health problems at work cost UK businesses PS35 billion each year. This is about PS1,300 per employee. Can we afford to ignore the mental health of employees when replacing staff costs an average of PS16,000. This includes recruitment, disruption and lost productivity, as well as the personal cost of life?
Businesses that prioritize employee wellbeing tend to have a higher retention rate and fewer sick days. It has also been proven that they outperform the stock market.
It is important to truly’see your people’ as your most valuable resource. Work to promote resilience and wellbeing. Investing in your employees, training them and valuing them will reap long-term rewards for your organization.
