Although it’s thoroughly important that employers give their employees the resources to be healthy and effective at work, it’s not always been this way. For a long time, this was unheard of! We’re not saying it should be ignored, but the expectations of graduates seeking work in the next five years are miles apart from the reality they will face when they secure one. As we move into ‘Millennial’ territory, there are many expectations that simply didn’t exist for Generation X, some of which are completely absurd. Some though, stand for collaboration, out-of-the-box thinking, flexibility and creativity which I have a lot of time for.
During 2018, there has been a shift and wellbeing in the office is no longer fully focussed on physical aspects. New initiatives are being introduced such as learning and development classes, employee recognition and workplace design that will aid to the success of an individual at work.
Learning & Development
We are advocates of L&D and have taken on several inexperienced hires whom we have coached and developed, giving them the tools and the knowledge, they need to be successful. Although, for some companies it may be preferred to hire experience first and their L&D programme won’t be as obvious. Well-being after all is not a one size fits all solution.
At GKR, our Operations & Training Manager Molly Shoesmith is always on hand to assist with on-desk training, as is our Directors and Senior Managers. We also receive regular visits from Suzanne Browne, Recruitment Guide to conduct bespoke training days dictated by the needs of our team.
Employee Recognition
If management is too quick to pick up on flaws of an individual without recognising the strengths and successes they have achieved, employees will begin to feel underappreciated. Though we each have our own reason for going into work each day, without being recognised for adding value you will quickly begin to feel like you haven’t added any at all. The satisfaction of an employee will have direct impact on their effectiveness so make sure you are commending those doing their bit.
At GKR, on top of a fantastic commission scheme, multiple quick wins, monthly top billers clubs, bi-annual work trips, we have recently invested into Perk Box to give the team access to hundreds of benefits and discounts outside of the office including a free workout & wellness platform and a free e-learning development platform.
Workplace Design
This is where I think Millennials tend to run away with the fairies a bit. Never before have stand-up desks, digital detox’s and sleep pods been necessary to attract talent into the work place, so I’m not too sure why they are cropping up now. However, I do think there are a few design aspects that should be considered such as having the appropriate chairs for those in desk jobs to spend eight hours of their day in. OR appropriate footwear for those spending their entire shift on their feet in uniform. Here’s a few other things to take into consideration in an office environment:
- Office Chairs
- Desk Size
- Lighting
- Meeting Rooms
- Kitchen/Bathroom Hygiene
Finally, did you know that you are just as responsible for your own Workplace wellbeing as your employer? If you are looking for something that doesn’t currently exist and it’s reasonable, discuss it with your manager. If they are unable to help immediately, what resources do you have access to online/elsewhere? LinkedIn have recently launched LinkedIn Learning offering personalised videos and courses taught by real-world professionals. James Caan CBE curated and developed Recruitment Guide, a training platform for recruiters to receive first hand training via video from the man himself. Sign yourself up, tell the person you sit next to at work and develop an even better wellbeing programme that suits you!
