What would you love your office to provide to improve your wellbeing?

[NotPennysBoat]

I've got an interview next week where I'll be asked about my ideas for initiatives to implement to improve employee wellbeing, and although I've got a few ideas they all seem pretty standard offerings.

It's a large office-based environment, and obviously only hypothetical at this stage so no restrictions and budget no object (but nothing too silly - weekly visits from Cillian Murphy wouldn't fly!).

I'd love to hear of any amazing things your companies do, or what you wish they'd do!

These days, allowing WFH would be an instant draw for a lot of people.

Fewer meetings, flexible working, ditch the open plan offices and decent pay.

Honestly, just turning the temperature up to a normal level would make me happy right now.

This. I don't want freebies. I don't want lunch put on that costs £15 a head when that would buy two days food for both me and my teen. I just want the money please.

Allergen free soap in the bathrooms
so I don’t have to carry my own.

complete ingredient listings for all food in the cafeteria.

sharps containers in the health rooms so people don’t have to carry those around.

a reminder to guests when they make an appointment to visit the space to keep scented products to a minimum out of respect for allergy sufferers.

basically better disability provision

please don’t, suggest bringing non-service animals to the office. You can end up forcing long term, dedicated employees out of the company.

whatever suggestions you make should keep those potential unintended side effects in mind. Programs are often targeted at the young, healthy employees and can end up being actively detrimental to others.

Free fruit (would actually prefer free biscuits but my waistline wouldn't thank me)
Cold water dispenser
An office dog (preferably a golden retriever)

Chris Hemsworth

Where I work we have introduced:

• Free weekly fruit basket in the staff room and free tea and coffee
• Employer Assistance programme, which is really well used. Approx 40% of staff use it annually
• Free sanitary supplies

Bit for me the --only-' thing that really makes a difference is treating people well, recognising they have lives and families outside, not expecting extra hours etc

FWIW when we first introduced a "Wellbeing Working Party", absences went through the roof. Almost as if people had been given permission to take time to support their wellbeing

More staff. For most people that would have the greatest effect on wellbeing, I reckon. Less stress and a greater sense of doing a great job (because of more time to do it) rather than just good enough in order to get onto the next thing.

Not sure that would get you the job, mind!

After the winter I've just had, working heating would do me.

And a complete absence of office dogs.

Agree that getting the fundamentals in support for staff are most important. However they are probably looking for ideas under the "wellbeing" umbrella.

I've just had an email about next week being Mental Health week, with these activities at work (large place) - specifics redacted:

10:00 to 11:00: Connecting to self as a spiritual practice to improve wellbeing
People who have a sense of spirituality tend to have higher wellbeing than those who don’t. In the world of psychology, spirituality is defined as, being connected to something larger than oneself. Walking in nature can be described as a spiritual experience, as can volunteering in a homeless shelter, or going to Sunday Mass.
However, connecting to something larger than oneself can be challenging if we are not comfortable with our sense of self.
This session will discuss the potential ways in which we can connect to our self as a means of having deeper connections with the outside world
12:00 to 12:30: Webinar - Tackling the epidemic of loneliness
This webinar provides information on the ever-growing epidemic of loneliness & why it is important to find ways to engage & connect with other.
12:00 to 12:30: Webinar – Kindness and your mental health
A webinar reflecting on acts of kindness and how making positive changes can improve mental health and overall wellbeing
12:00 to 13:00: Wild [place] Walk & Lunch
Join the Wellbeing Champions for a walk-through [place] finishing with a picnic lunch. The event will be Powered by Plants and Fairtrade.
Please bring
• A vegetarian/vegan lunch – ideally in your own Tupperware!
• Sustainability tips and hidden green spaces you would like to share
• Appropriate clothing/footwear!
Please join us to enjoy the green spaces, meet people and get some fresh air!
10:00 to 11:00: Bird Walk
Join X Conservation Society for a bird walk and discover wildlife around [place].
12:00 to 12:30: Webinar – Mindfulness
This webinar provides ways & ideas of mindfulness-based approaches which can significantly reduce the symptoms of anxiety and stress.
80 Miles Challenges in May Challenge
In May, in support of the week, the mental health foundation is running a '80 Miles in May' Facebook Challenge. They are asking supporters like you to walk, jog, or run the distance of 80 miles, over the course of May, in support of the Foundation.
You can sign up by joining their dedicated Facebook Challenge group where you'll find tips, inspiration and a free challenge water bottle.
If their Facebook Challenge isn't your thing, you can sign up to hold a Tea & Talk instead.
This is a great opportunity to come together with family, friends, colleagues, or your local community and get talking about mental health over a cuppa and a slice of cake!
They have tons of resources, from posters to bunting and lots of recipes. Get started by downloading our fundraising pack: www.mentalhealth.org.uk/get-involved/tea-and-talk?bblinkid=259788474&bbemailid=39523876&bbejrid=-1974960235

No doubt some find it wanky, and I remain sceptical. However I surprised myself enjoying an hour on mindful writing last month, even if I haven't done my "J5M" since :)

Earlier today heard a programme about allotments on Radio 4, someone suggested using all the money for things such as the above for a work allotment instead, which I thought a great idea (albeit needing someone to organise rotas for it all).

And finally, we had a free subscription to a daily 10 min mindfulness podcast and that was good. When I did it...

I work for the NHS and I'd like access to fresh drinking water. Obviously I'd love all the fabulous things you've suggested but that's never going to happen. 😀

Yes, you have to be careful that what's great for some isn't awful for other. Things my boss has tried.

• Bring your dog to work. Dog people love it, some people hate it, some are actually traumatised by it.
• Lunchtime choir. Great for those who enjoy it, but really awful for people who don't and feel pressure to participate.
• After work fun activities. Again some people enjoy them. For others, the best use of that time with regards their wellbeing is to go home to their families and even when thing are optional, it often doesn't feel that way to staff when the organiser is "encouraging" attendance.

If you're not careful your good intentions can have the opposite effect for 50% of staff.

I manage a school. So our budgets are skinny! One of the things my staff said they struggled with is getting time to focus for paperwork or emails etc. So I found a small office. Ripped it out and made it in to a focus room. It's bookable. No phone. Just a desk, chair d alaptop dock. It's really popular just having space to do admin time undisturbed.

No way our authority would cough up for tea, fruit etc. But this one thing didn't cost a lot. Guess it depends what sort of environment you are in.

Previous places we had the cycle to work scheme, share incentive, subsidised gym membership. Loads of fab ideas on your post !

Puppies

More money and more time off would make an actual difference to my life. Snacks and coffee lotteries would not. However i once worked somewhere with a washing machine and dryer, which was helpful. Summer fridays are also excellent. 4 day week and dental insurance i would also applaud.

You don't need the local authority to agree to provide fruit etc, you just need to plan for it in your budget. We're an LA school and we do it . I argued the tea and coffee was an efficiency, as you remove the nightmare of having to manage a tea club.

Wow, where do you work? I want a job there.

In fact this is my 3rd school now and one of the first things I've done at each of them is abolish the tea club

I think the thing that helps me most at work are the friends I make/made. So, whatever you can do to support interpersonal relationships....for example:

• social events, book clubs, knitting circles, volunteering in the local area.

Pay rise and don't say but you had one 4 years ago
Tea and coffee provided and don't say it can't be done because of covid
Don't expect employees to be happy at working though lunch and after hours for no pay because you cut hours because of covid
Proper one to ones with manager/boss instead of slagging off everyone (past and present) to all and sundry to get your point across
Sick pay
Don't schedule zoom meetings in evening, no one wants to get home and then have to do another hours work unpaid
Trust your staff
Don't micromanage

Adequate staffing to enable the necessary work to be done without anyone working over their contracted hours of work.

Fair pay at a living wage that follows the rate of inflation.

Fair sick pay and maternity pay. Sick policies that aren't punitive.

Funded training that supports career development.

Development of a culture that supports flexible and part time working.

Interesting reading these. Most are office based, but I am retail, so we have, to pick up on a few of these...
Free coffee with coffee maker and toaster provided (byo bread!) We get the milk but there are only a few of us that use it so we just grab some from next door. Masses of crockery and cutlery!
The SM gets us take out on stock take.
We have massive discount at the store, which is super helpful for the household budget. (Not a clothing store, staples for the home)
Discount for a national pub and b and b chain
Discounts on broadband, nurse/travel services and opticians
Half price mobile deals , like a tenner a month unlimited.
Free San pro in the toilets and they get to choose the hand soap.
At management level we get a trip each year to the annual meeting, paid overnight stay. Expenses to other stores paid and more annual leave days.
For everyone, there is a massive tie in to our chosen charity so charity steps, fun runs, fundraisers etc are common.
Employee appreciation things like awards, vouchers, certificates, notes
Monthly competitions to win duvet days, vouchers, fragrance, cosmetics
Generous sick leave policy (often listed as toil if you have the right manager to not have any absences!)
Often free cosmetics and fragrance from reps.
Diversity is huge so there are groups for everything you can imagine.
Massive flexibility over rotas.
A wellbeing program.

That said, its retail, so the hours are long and the pay is...retail..so.

But I love love love my job.
We get all the cute babies, adorable dogs and fabulous elderly and my day is never the same! Plus we get first pick of the discounted stock before it goes out to customers!

For offices, where i used to work, things like yoga wouldnt be used. Fruit would be good, but water coolers etc are fairly standard I would imagine.

Honestly what works at my company is that management has the opinion that we work to live, not the other way round. They are extremely flexible when it comes to unexpected events in family life. I had to dash from a workshop a couple of weeks ago because my Nan was seriously ill. They have allowed me to work flexible hours around school pickups and are very understanding if for some reason I have to have meetings from home with them in the background.

There is a clear development plan, so I know where I'm heading and what my potential is within the company. My LM isn't secretive about this.

They have all sorts of Important Wellbeing Initiatives, like giving everyone the Headspace app, there's a financial planning app too, we do team days, volunteering days, access to a telephone advice/counselling service. But really, the fact that we are trusted to do our jobs and put the time back if we have to dash off does most of the leg work.