Recession stress' costs employers £26 billion

A further compelling argument for helping staff look after themselves and their wellbeing. All businesses should have the right initiatives in place to sustain their employees through tough times as well as when things are running more smoothly.

As the article says, 'Investing in wellbeing doesn’t have to be expensive and businesses that look after their staff reap the rewards in reduced sickness absence and increased productivity. Small changes can have big results.'

Read the full article here: Recession stress' costs employers £26 billion

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Make Office Wellbeing succeed during the recession Part 5

When it comes to spending money of the wellbeing of your staff during a recession, how do you make sure you're spending it in the right place? Just throwing money at this area rarely works well because you need to be strategic and work around the specific needs of your workforce. Here are some guidelines that should help you make the right decision with your budget.

How do I make the right decision about what to spend the money on?
Fancy initiatives that cost a fortune are no substitute for targeted initiatives that make a real difference. Bear in mind the following guidelines:

• Use initiatives that get people excited and get people involved
• Incentivise your programme by recognising and rewarding those who take part. This needn’t mean elaborate prizes but cost effective tokens of appreciation or even simply publicly acknowledged success stories that get staff engaged and create a brilliant buzz around your office.
• Think it through and talk it through. The Tonic can help you implement a programme either as part of your current training modules or as stand-alone initiatives.


Read Part 1
Read Part 2
Read Part 3

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Make Office Wellbeing succeed during the recession Part 4

Money is too tight to mention.

So surely this is the worst time to be seen to be spending money on areas like health and wellbeing in the office isn't it? And how will you be able to justify it to colleagues within the business and if you're a public sector company, how do you justify it outside of the company?

How do we justify the extra spend internally and externally?
If you’re concerned that the money you’re planning to invest in wellbeing will come under scrutiny from your staff or from sources outside the business, particularly the media, make sure that everyone knows the full story. Be transparent about the positive intentions the company has for its culture and its people. Make it clear to staff that you’ve done your research and you’re responding to what you know will improve happiness, motivation and performance levels within your business. Explain to the media how every pound you’re planning to invest in this area is designed to generate many more pounds when it comes to increasing productivity and morale, and reducing absence, turnover and recruitment costs. Wellbeing initiatives create greater efficiency which ultimately benefits everyone. And there's no getting away from that.

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Make Office Wellbeing succeed during the recession Part 2

Following on from the post yesterday, here is another tip on getting your wellbeing initiative to really take off even in the midst of this downturn. Today's theme is about how to get your message across to employees and managers so they see it for what it is - a genuine attempt by the organisation to help staff feel better and healthier and more ready to take on any of the issues that will get thrown their way in the coming months.

How do you ensure the wellbeing message is received positively?
Be strategic with your wellbeing programme!

You need to know why you’re doing it and communicate the right information to your staff. If you’re making the effort to create a positive and energetic culture within your organisation, tell everyone concerned. If you’re doing it to ease the increased stress and burden staff may be feeling – tell them. Employees always feel more invested in a programme if they have been consulted and informed from Day One.

They probably wouldn't thank you for arranging a team bonding exercise orienteering up a mountain if that's not their idea of fun but they may appreciate the chance to have relaxation sessions at lunchtime and a running / walking club to help them get fit and de-stress. The more you focus on what THEY would like, the more likely the programme will be well received.

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Make Office Wellbeing succeed during the recession Part 1

During the downturn, many things that we had come to regard as standard get parked for a while. Bonuses, pay rises, office morale, and wellness schemes. They are all regarded as perks and not possible when the world is suffering a recession.

However, some of the things we lose are ironically the things that can help us get us through this recession intact and ready to face the stress and upheaval that gets thrown at us.

Hanging on to your wellbeing initiatives is so important to help you manage the new demands that are being put on staff and managers. But how do you justify it to those who make the decisions.

This is part one of a guide that has been compiled to help you do understand why Wellness is essential during a recession and it will run for the next few weeks. 

Would love to hear your views on this.

1. Surely Wellbeing isn’t a priority right now?

Make no mistake, there is no better time to look after your employees than when the pressure is on and demands on them are greatest. 

If you’re working with teams who’ve had their numbers cut, they need to be engaged and motivated to focus on the job and not on insecurities around them. If your initiatives are properly designed, they will have an immediate impact throughout the business and get great results. 

A downturn is when your people need support the most not a time to deny them an outlet for their worries and stresses.

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