Chronic stress, unpleasant atmosphere, overloaded with duties, or lack of appreciation can negatively affect work quality, effectively discourage daily duties, and can even lead to professional burnout. To prevent such feelings among their employees, more and more companies are introducing solutions that fit into the wellbeing concept. What is wellbeing and how can it be implemented?
What does the concept of wellbeing mean?
The term wellbeing, also written as well-being or well being of employees, literally means welfare. Simply put, it is a state in which, as employees, we feel comfortable, experience positive emotions, satisfaction, and contentment with ourselves, and also – feel secure. The wellbeing concept assumes a holistic approach to satisfying needs – both physical and mental – however, it is based on the subjective feelings of the individual.
What constitutes the concept of wellbeing?
The wellbeing of an employee is important not only in an individual context but also in a group one. This has led to the wellbeing concept being of interest to many researchers – including from the Gallup Institute, Martin Seligman, and Carol Ryff.
Wellbeing according to the Gallup Institute
The Gallup Institute, known to many primarily through the Gallup test, which allows assessing the potential of employees, indicates 5 key elements of the wellbeing concept in the company:
- Career Wellbeing – wellbeing in professional life, manifesting as satisfaction with what we do,
- Social Wellbeing – wellbeing in social life, which depends on the closeness and quality of our relationships with other people,
- Financial Wellbeing – wellbeing in terms of finances related to the efficiency of managing economic aspects,
- Physical Wellbeing – physical welfare related to the general state of health and well-being,
- Community Wellbeing – wellbeing in the community, dependent on the degree of involvement in community life.
Wellbeing in line with the PERMA model
The wellbeing concept in the company is also precisely explained by the PERMA model, whose author is the prominent American psychologist and founder of the positive psychology movement Martin Seligman. PERMA is an acronym derived from the first letters of English words describing the most important elements influencing wellbeing:
- P – positive emotions, such as joy, hope, curiosity, or feelings of happiness and satisfaction,
- E – engagement, i.e., employee engagement in the work, the realization of which brings satisfaction,
- R – relationships, i.e., relationships with other people in the workplace,
- M – meaning, i.e., a sense of purpose and meaning in the organization,
- A – accomplishment, i.e., achievements and fulfilling goals, which contributes to development.
Employee wellbeing according to Carol Ryff
In a slightly different way, the areas shaping our mental well-being are defined by Carol Ryff. According to the American psychologist, the decisive influence on wellbeing have:
- self-acceptance,
- personal development,
- a sense of purpose in life,
- the ability to change or adapt the environment to the current needs of the individual and act for one's own benefit,
- autonomy,
- positive relationships with other people.
How to take care of employee wellbeing?
Over the past few years, awareness regarding the importance of employee wellbeing has significantly increased. As a result, employers, caring for the good well-being and health of employees, are increasingly implementing wellbeing programs aimed at improving the functioning of team members. Thanks to them:
- employees feel appreciated, which translates into increased motivation,
- employees are more loyal to the company, which reduces turnover,
- employees are engaged, cope well with stress, and experience a high level of satisfaction with their tasks,
- the reputation improves and the company's image is enhanced.
There are various ways to take care of employee wellbeing. The most popular solutions are:
- private healthcare packages,
- physical activity or sports cards,
- the possibility of using psychological support,
- office massages,
- the possibility of accessing healthy snacks,
- workshops supporting the development of soft skills,
- employee reward systems,
- team-building meetings,
- flexible working hours.
Another interesting proposition might be gift vouchers, which can be given, for example, on the occasion of holidays or wanting to reward people distinguished by the quality of work or achieved results. Which gift voucher to choose for an employee? It could be a voucher for a stay in a luxury hotel in the mountains or SPA treatments. It is worth remembering that relaxation is essential to maintain the balance of body and spirit – and it is definitely easier to take care of in the beautiful natural surroundings.
Wellbeing at the Belmonte hotel
Wellbeing in all aspects of the stay, starting from the entire Moon SPA complex, through the special pillow menu, thanks to which the guest can choose a pillow that allows for perfect sleep and rest, to the cuisine of the Aura restaurant and our Chef Mirek Jabłoński, who creates amazing dishes using selected regional products, choosing small suppliers offering the best quality. A specially designed viewing terrace, which is part of the Lobby Bar, allows guests to relax with the amazing views surrounding the hotel during meals.
We want to go further in our wellbeing philosophy and not only encourage guests who come to us to relax but also participants of the MICE segment. We believe that business meetings, especially in such a challenging time, need not and should not be devoid of spirituality. That is why we have created our sauna complex including a Finnish, steam, salt, herbal, and ice grotto sauna, being a wonderful zone not only for relaxation but also for brainstorming. The surrounding area also gives us vast possibilities not only for active integration of participants but also for organizing outdoor conferences – to which we very much encourage.
