Ah February at last; hopefully that means the end of all those “Dry January” pledges so I will no longer have to go to the pub on my own; even better, it is a Bank Holiday weekend, too. (Admittedly, Monday’s National Sickie Day is not an official one but, hey, if everyone else is going to call in sick, why shouldn’t I?)
Now, naturally, at this time of year there are numerous people trying to dish out advice on how to prevent your entire workforce skiving off, and, right on cue, here comes a new report by commercial property experts Savoy Stewart (don’t ask), who have jumped into bed with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy to provide their top tips. So, here goes:
1 Manage workplace stress
First up, with stress and job burnout a leading cause of staff sickness, identifying and addressing those stressors is crucial. While this is not much of a problem round here, for those of you who are put in high-stress situations, whether this be unreasonable deadlines, unclear expectations or unmanageable workloads, there is, apparently, a risk of moving into ‘fight or flight’ mode.
The ‘fight or flight’ response typically acts as a survival mechanism as we react to life-threatening situations. But, unfortunately, the body can also overreact to stressors that are non life-threatening, such as work pressure. If an employee stays in fight or flight mode for too long, it can lead to burnout or chronic stress.
2 Embrace employee boundaries
Helping your employees navigate boundaries with minimal friction is necessary for a healthy work-life balance and long-term career growth. A recent study by workinmind.org found that nearly two-thirds of staff do unpaid overtime at least once a week, with one in three also neglecting their mental health because they are too busy at work.
3 Increase staff flexibility
Meanwhile, a study by the National Library of Medicine addressed the problem of absenteeism, and named flexible working as a positive by enabling employees to allocate their own resources between work and non-work according to their preferences.
The study found that allowing staff to work from home increased job satisfaction by two-thirds, and being allowed to change one’s schedule increased the likelihood of job satisfaction by a similar amount.
Flexible working can also cut staff sickness by reducing job stress, offering an overall improved work-life balance and job satisfaction. Giving your staff more opportunity to work through non-work responsibilities, addressing their personal and family needs – whether that be in terms of location, hours and days worked – can give your employees a sense of control and freedom within their role.
4 Wellbeing benefits
According to the CIPD, a third of organisations have increased their budget for wellbeing benefits as a consequence of the pandemic, but is this enough?
Perci Health reckons around a quarter of UK employees have reported having a physical health condition, yet less than half of those say they feel their employer supports their physical and emotional health.
Implementing wellbeing benefits for your employees works as not only a preventative method to support employees inside and outside of work, but benefits such as health insurance and gym memberships can help employees back on their feet after a period of sickness.
5 Create a comfortable office environment
Employers can also reduce stress in the office by looking into their office design. Options such as break out spaces give staff the opportunity to take meetings or breaks in different environments. Giving them the autonomy to work in whatever space that suits them, from quiet spaces when they need to concentrate to more social settings when they’re feeling creative.
Often in open plan offices, it’s hard to break away from the constant hustle and bustle. Providing quiet zones such as solo pods, quiet booths or even just areas where no phones or music are allowed, gives staff that escape and time to think.
Even additions such as adding a splash of colour can lighten your employees mood, as well as bringing in some greenery and opting for large windows to let in the natural light. You can also provide simple extras such as stress balls, oil diffusers, and especially desktop organisers for a much more healthy atmosphere, alleviating any extra stressors from disorganisation.
MBACP Counsellor Georgina Sturmer said: “It can take an enormous amount of courage to tell our workplace that we can’t come into work due to stress or burnout. Be kind and compassionate towards them, and make sure that they are clear on your company’s policy for these types of absences.
“Respect their confidentiality in the same way as you would with any other type of absence. Make sure that they know where to go if they need support with their mental health, they can see their GP. And take it as an opportunity to learn. Is there anything that you can improve in the workplace, to avoid this situation happening again in the future.”
Nice try, sister, but there is about as much chance as that happening round here as McKelvey spending a whole day at his desk. In fact, I am coming over all queer (lucky “all queer”) at the very thought of missing out on all those benefits.
Ah well, roll on the long weekend…
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