Why You Should Invest In Your Employees’ Lives Outside Of Work

The traditional concept of a hard-line separation between work and home is being dismantled. In the past, it was typical for a company to care only about what an employee did during office hours. Anything else was considered a private matter.

However, this perspective is quite limited. A company consists of individuals, and these individuals have complicated lives that do not stop when they start work.

Recognizing and helping these lives is not only a nice thing to do; it is a fundamental part of creating a bigger, more efficient ​‍​‌‍​‍‌organization.

Employee wellbeing is no longer a “nice to have” add-on that just sits on the edge of a company’s book. It has become central to how modern organizations attract talent, keep the great people, and create an amazing workspace! 

This helps companies focus on employee wellbeing, enabling them to thrive over the long term when leaders recognise personal challenges, family responsibilities, and the health concerns that often follow people to work. 

They can even design the support that they need to reduce their stress, further freeing up their energy for better performance.

In this blog, we will look at why companies must invest in employee wellbeing and how it can be a great way to drive the organization towards the desired growth!  

Seeing the Person, Not Just the Role 

Your staff are not one-dimensional. When they leave the office, they become parents, partners, hobbyists, and volunteers. 

They might be caring for an elderly parent or managing a health condition. To pretend these parts of their identity do not exist is to operate with one eye closed. 

When a company shows it cares about the whole person, it creates an atmosphere of genuine respect. 

This is not about prying; it is about building the trust that allows people to feel secure. In return, you get a team that is more committed, more creative, and willing to go the extra mile because they feel genuinely valued. 

Recognizing employees as total human beings is a boost to employee wellness practices. 

This understanding entails that emotional, physical, financial, and social wellbeing are factors that affect a person’s mood at the office on any given day. 

Suppose a manager is aware that an employee is engaged in childcare, community service, and personal studies simultaneously. 

In that case, he/she can provide the team member with the necessary communication and offer flexibility in the work process. 

This gets the employee more loyal and engaged. People need to feel comfortable sharing their real lives in workplace conversations. This way, they are more likely to report challenges rather than silently burn out.

Such a proactive approach to employee wellness issues helps the company avoid crises. Moreover, it reduces the number of employees off work for non-health-related reasons. 

Moreover, it enables managers to assist when performance declines significantly. Besides, it is the same tree that yields the fruit of mutual support among colleagues, which, in turn, builds teamwork and a sense of togetherness.

What Does The Data Say? 

These​‍​‌‍​‍‌ initiatives lead to measurable effects for both employees and business performance. There is strong evidence that companies that put overall employee wellbeing first reap substantial benefits, while those that ignore this area struggle severely. 

The key success factors and benefits are: 

1. Around a 12% productivity increase driven by employees being healthier and less stressed. As a result, concentrating better and having more energy. 
2. The company can lower absenteeism and healthcare costs. How? They can welcome preventive care and mental health support. 
3. Employee engagement and morale rise, leading to higher retention and lower turnover costs. On the other hand, the company gets the best talent through recruitment programs that foster wellness. These talents are most likely to choose flexible, supportive environments. 
4. Seminars and counseling support employee wellbeing through financial support. This, in turn, reduces financial-related stress and positively impacts job performance. 
5. The employees’ emotional resilience is developed through a great environment. Thereby preventing burnout and creating a positive, collaborative work culture. 
6. The other side of the coin to these investments is: Stress-related absenteeism and presenteeism at high levels, leading to the company losing its workforce and productivity. Employees are quitting as they seek better work-life balance. 
7. The case where employees in high-pressure or unsupportive cultures feel disengaged and have low morale leading to poor team collaboration among ​‍​‌‍​‍‌them. 

The Business Case For Compassion

This kind of support has a clear impact on business performance. Take, for instance, a valued team member who is also a foster carer with an agency like Fostering People. 

Their role at home is incredibly important but can be unpredictable, sometimes requiring them to leave at short notice for a child’s needs. 

A rigid employer would likely lose that person. An employer that offers flexibility, however, retains their skills and experience. 

That small adjustment earns a huge amount of loyalty and dedication, saving the business the considerable expense and disruption of recruiting a replacement. 

It is a simple equation: treat people well, and they are far more likely to stay, thereby contributing to a stable, experienced workforce. 

Putting Support Into Practice

Putting this support into practice does not need to be complicated or invasive. It is about giving your people the tools and flexibility to manage their lives. 

Hybrid and flexible working schedules are an obvious starting point for great employee wellbeing. This is giving people greater control over their day. 

Another powerful step is to offer generous leave policies for new parents, carers, or those dealing with a personal loss. Access to confidential mental health support, perhaps through an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), is another vital resource that helps people cope with life’s pressures. 

Giving financial planning workshops for employee wellbeing can be a great way to take a heavy burden off an employee’s shoulders. These are not attractive offers; they are a wise investment in the people who make your business work.

The separation wall between our work and personal lives was, in fact, an illusion all along. One side, therefore, impacts the other.

It is a smart move that creates a positive domino effect when a company decides to go beyond supporting its employees solely through their job descriptions. Hence, it does the right thing. In fact, this decision strengthens the whole organization.

Employees who feel supported as human beings bring their best selves to the workplace. Such employees are more engaged, creative, and loyal to the company’s survival in the long ​‍​‌‍​‍‌run.