The concept of well-being has garnered a lot of attention over the past two years. Since the Covid-19 pandemic started, there has been a greater awareness about the importance of mental health and wellness, and increased pressure on organizations to care for their employees’ holistic well-being.
As more organizations move into the new norm of operating within a world where Covid-19 is endemic, well-being has become a critical piece of the employee experience. But this goes beyond physical safety and mental health to a broader, more holistic definition of well-being. Many organizations consider physical, mental and emotional health, and some also include financial wellness. Based on research done by Great Place to Work® in partnership with Johns Hopkins University, we have expanded the definition of well-being to include an employee’s sense of purpose and meaningful social connections as well.
The pandemic and changing work patterns have led to new mental health challenges with an increasing number of employees feeling anxious and isolated. A poorer sense of well-being has, in part, led more employees to consider what it is that they are looking for and what else is on offer, which has resulted in the Great Resignation where employees across the globe are leaving their companies in droves. Employee well-being today has thus become a business imperative. Companies, and leaders in particular, have a role to play in supporting their employees’ well-being or face high churn as employees become increasingly disenchanted with their workplaces.
