How would you rate the wellbeing of your team members? Are you doing everything possible to care for their wellbeing as well as your own?
Psychological wellbeing is a key ingredient in any workplace. Research has consistently shown that when organisations invest in their employees’ wellbeing, they are more productive and innovative.
Increased creativity levels have also been shown to increase general wellbeing. In a study conducted at Otago University in New Zealand, 650 people said they felt a substantial increase in their wellbeing after taking part in a creative activity and they viewed their relationships with other people more positively. The research also indicated that creative outlets have lasting effects on wellbeing.
Wellbeing and creativity have a symbiotic relationship with each other, and both will increase simultaneously. So how do you encourage a culture of wellbeing and innovation within your workplace?
There are several steps you can take to immediately increase innovation and wellbeing. Among these are:
- Making time for brainstorming and reflection
- Being open to team members’ ideas
- Holding walking meetings to exercise while discussing work
- Building alternative workspaces with a change of scenery
- Encouraging breaks
- Fostering diversity
- Providing learning opportunities
- Creating trust and fostering psychological safety
Creating trust and fostering psychological safety are especially significant. Psychological safety is when employees feel safe expressing themselves without fear of embarrassment, rejection, or punishment. In 2016, Google analysed teams as part of their Aristotle Project to find the most optimal team composition. They analysed their own company using 50 years of team research for two years, and the top predictor of team performance (based on revenue) was psychological safety. Cultivating this is important to encourage the introduction of new ideas within your company and create high-performing teams who are not afraid to push the boundaries and elevate themselves to new heights.
There is a greater emphasis on personal mental health currently highlighted in the media, causing public awareness of this issue to be at an all-time high. Workplace health and safety is becoming increasingly legislated to protect employees. Competition in the employment market is making it harder than ever to keep the best team members. It is important to ensure that your workplace makes the necessary improvements to boost employee satisfaction. The best part is that none of these steps are too costly or too lengthy. In this case, less is more. By acting to address areas of improvement, your workforce will be more creative and more productive. To make your organisation the best that it can be, contact a PeopleScape wellbeing specialist today to teach both leaders and team members the key elements of wellbeing amid the intense demands of the workplace.