Employee Well-Being and Productivity: How to Strike the Balance?

Navigating the Age of Productivity

The corporate world is evolving rapidly, giving rise to many tools designed to ease your work. Employees can now work more efficiently and conveniently. We can certainly say that this is the “age of productivity” because these modern tools have propelled us to be more productive.

The Rise of Video Interview Software

One tool that gained significant popularity during the pandemic is video interview software. This video interview tool was launched to help recruiters streamline the hiring process at scale. Apart from this, many tools are available to assist different departments, enhancing overall efficiency.

Balancing Technology and Human Collaboration

The collaboration between technology and humans, new limits of productivity, and an increased focus on human well-being have significantly impacted everyone’s life. As you prepare for these changes, a critical question arises: How can employee productivity and well-being coexist?

The Importance of Balancing Employee Well-Being and Productivity

HR and business leaders need to strike a balance between employee well-being and productivity. Many leaders don’t pay proper attention to employee well-being, which ultimately affects productivity. Leaders can take various steps to balance the scale. Dive into this guide to learn how HR and business leaders can achieve a balance between employee well-being and productivity.

The Clear Relationship Between Employee Well-Being and Productivity

The Impact of Employee Well-Being on Productivity

Leaders should understand that employee well-being can highly impact employee productivity. Simply put, when employees are healthy, they stay happy and give their 100% to any work. Many studies have revealed the same. Therefore, leaders should prioritize employee well-being if they want their employees to be more productive. There should be a balance between these to maintain a positive workplace environment.

Fostering Innovation and Growth

For better insight, HR and business leaders should focus on identifying what’s working for their employees and what’s not. They should ask themselves whether innovation is thriving in their organization. An innovative approach enables employees to grow within their companies, resulting in happier, more satisfied workers. This, in turn, leads to better employee well-being. Strategies should be developed to meet the needs of all employees in the workplace and keep them happy. In today’s environment, it is essential to be intentional about employee well-being to ensure your business thrives.

The Role of Technology

Moreover, technology plays an important role. Modern tools can improve both employee well-being and productivity. Tools that help managers stay connected with their employees, like Video Interview Software, are particularly useful. As you know, communication is key to everything. When leaders communicate with their workers regularly, employees feel appreciated. In return, they are happier and put their best foot forward. Leaders should ask for their feedback and make adjustments accordingly. Make empathy central to your organizational culture to balance productivity and employee well-being.

Change your perspective on workers’ well-being!

Leaders need to re-think their perspective on employees’ well-being to balance the scale between employee well-being and productivity. They must keep the following points in mind and re-think their perspectives on employee well-being.

• Well-being is related to the whole human being.

However, work plays a vital role in employee well-being, but so do other factors. Various dimensions that affect worker well-being include community, family, and society. Many managers think there is a distinction between well-being in employees’ personal life and well-being at work. This is not the right perspective. During the coronavirus outburst, we have seen how well-being is important in every field of life.

• Well-being exists even with the changing work environment.

You should understand that well-being is an ever-present state. It cannot be static as it changes over time. Therefore, leaders should think of it as a permanent state that is important for a flourishing workplace. The corporate world is ever-evolving, and you should not consider well-being at just one point. Instead, it is a trend over a period of time.

• Well-being is a shared responsibility.

If you think that well-being is the company’s responsibility, then it is a strong misconception. It is a dual responsibility of both the company and the individual. Employees are major contributors to their well-being; they need to adopt healthy habits. Moreover, organizations should create an environment where employees are happy and healthy.

• Well-being has various dimensions.

You should know that well-being has multiple dimensions that contribute to an employee’s well-being. All these factors are equally important and contribute holistically towards well-being. Multiple dimensions of employee well-being include intellectual, physical, mental, financial, social, and spiritual.

Definition of productivity!

Before jumping to how employee well-being and productivity are related, let’s talk about what productivity actually is. Productivity is basically the ratio of output to input. Each employer wants their employees to be more productive. Increasing productivity is generating the same amount of output with less input or generating more output with the same amount of input. The competition in the corporate world is increasing rapidly, so improving productivity has become more essential than ever.

In this changing environment, there has been a shift toward measuring productivity. Measuring productivity is based on business success, but various other factors also impact productivity. Better well-being leads to improved productivity. The healthier the workforce is, the better the organization’s productivity.

Productivity is related to employee well-being!

Many surveys have proved a direct relationship between productivity and well-being. This simply means that a higher level of well-being leads to an increased level of productivity. It is crucial to focus on employee well-being if you want your workers to be more productive.

There is a simple logic behind this. Unhealthy employees can never focus on their work. If employees are healthy, they will be satisfied and complete their work faster. Managers also need to strike a balance between resources and job demands as contributing factors to this relationship. Demands are the expectations that employers have from their employees, whereas resources refer to the social, physical, or organizational support of workers. This support is necessary to meet organizational demands. According to a theory developed by Demerouti and Bakker, when resources and demands are in balance, it leads to better well-being and productivity. Lack of resources and high demand can lead to burnout, which results in organizational failure.

Well-being and productivity have a two-way relationship. More productive employees become healthy as they are satisfied with their work. Productivity and well-being can exist in a sustainable relationship for both individuals and companies.

How can employers improve employee well-being?

Employers should make efforts to improve employee well-being to make them more productive at their work. There are many tips that they can apply to ensure employee well-being. Some of the strategies for better employee well-being are stated below.

• Foster communication and connectivity

Managers should have time-to-time communication with their employees to make them feel connected in the workforce. Many companies use different communication tools to ensure collaboration even while working remotely. According to a recent study, 40% of remote employees said they have everything they need to do their work. However some companies still don’t use any communication tools, and their employees feel disconnected at work. Have organic interaction with your workers, and ensure their well-being.

• Provide necessary tools and technology

Providing the required Video Interview tools is essential for the well-being of your employees. When employees don’t get what they need for the job, it affects their performance. And this ultimately leads to burnout. Therefore, employers should offer modern tools to their employees so that they can stay competitive. For example, employers should offer video interviewing tools to the hiring department. Recruiters can hire people faster than ever with Video Interview Software.

• Give workers the needed space

Many studies indicate that having discretion over how work gets done is associated with poor mental health. Low control over the job negatively impacts employees and their health. Leaders should trust their employees and give them the required space to do their tasks. Let your employees complete tasks on their own terms, as it results in better employee well-being.

• Ensure workloads are reasonable

High work demands can take a significant toll on employee well-being and health. Several studies have revealed that the combination of high demands and low control over the job can create health risks, including cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, and depression. Don’t pressurize your employees, as it can result in burnout or quitting.

• Provide enough growth opportunities

Ask yourself if you are providing enough work opportunities or not. Candidates seek companies that allow them to grow. If they don’t get any chance to grow in the organization, they start to feel unhappy. Growth opportunities are critical to achieving success. Therefore, make sure that you offer excellent growth and development opportunities for a positive and meaningful work culture, resulting in better productivity.

Wrapping it up

According to a study, 60% of workers are suffering from stress, anxiety, and depression in Asia. Unhealthy employees are unhappy and less productive. Employers need to focus on employee well-being if they want their workers to be more productive. It is the right time to modernize the employee experience. Engage employees in meaningful conversations, and let them be more productive without sacrificing their well-being.