Employee wellbeing: the most neglected aspect of learning and development.

The state of employee wellbeing in 2022 is dismal. Despite the increasing focus on employee wellbeing in recent years, most organisations have yet to make it a priority in their learning and development (L&D) strategies. This is reflected in the fact that only 38% of employees feel their employer cares about their well-being, and just 36% of employees feel their employer provides adequate support for their well-being.

The lack of attention to employee wellbeing is hurting employees’ health and productivity. 53% of employees report experiencing stress in their current job, and 50% report feeling burned out. According to the Occupational Health Foundation, poor mental health costs UK businesses £26 billion a year. The cost of employee stress and burnout is estimated to be $300 billion per year in the United States alone. That’s a lot of money being lost due to employees who are struggling with their mental health.

In 2022, we can expect this number to grow. With more and more people being open about workplace wellbeing, employers can no longer ignore the issue. Organisations need to make employee wellbeing a priority if they want to create a healthy and productive workforce.

The Role of L&D in Employee Well-being

L&D professionals can play a key role in this by ensuring that employee wellbeing is integrated into all aspects of the learning experience. This includes designing courses that focus on positive psychology and wellness, creating a supportive learning environment and providing employees with the tools they need to manage their wellbeing. Also, L&D professionals can work with HR to develop policies and practices that support employee wellbeing.

There are many ways in which L&D can help improve employee wellbeing. In this article, we will explore various ways in which L&D professionals can integrate employee well-being into their work.

1. Promote Positive Psychology and Wellness:

L&D professionals can promote positive psychology and wellness by designing courses that focus on these topics. Courses that focus on positive psychology can help employees build resilience and learn how to cope with stress. Wellness courses can help employees learn how to stay healthy both physically and mentally. 

2. Create a Supportive Learning Environment:

The learning environment can play a big role in promoting employee wellbeing. L&D professionals can create a supportive learning environment by providing employees with the tools they need to manage their well-being. This includes providing employees with access to wellness resources such as mental health support and fitness programs. It also includes creating a positive and supportive learning culture that encourages employees to talk about their well-being.

3. Integrate Employee Well-being into all Aspects of the Learning Experience:

L&D professionals can integrate employee well-being into all aspects of the learning experience. This includes designing courses that focus on positive psychology and wellness, creating a supportive learning environment and providing employees with the tools they need to manage their wellbeing. L&D professionals can also work with HR to develop policies and practices that support employee wellbeing.

4. Use Technology to Support Employee Well-being:

Technology can play a role in supporting employee well-being. L&D professionals can use technology to help employees manage their well-being. This includes providing employees with access to wellness resources such as mental health support and fitness programs. It also includes creating a positive and supportive learning culture that encourages employees to talk about their well-being.

5. Collaborate with Other Departments:

L&D professionals can collaborate with other departments to promote employee wellbeing. This includes collaborating with HR to develop policies and practices that support employee wellbeing and collaborating with marketing to create wellness campaigns that encourage employees to stay healthy.

6. Advocate for Employee Well-being:

L&D professionals can advocate for employee well-being by urging employers to make employee well-being a priority. L&D professionals can also urge employers to invest in resources that support employee wellbeing. For instance, employers can promote employee wellbeing at conferences and events by giving presentations on the topic and sharing case studies of how L&D has helped improve employee wellbeing. They can also share articles and case studies about employee wellbeing to create awareness around the topic.

Wellness tips for employees

• Make time for yourself.
• Connect with others.
• Stay active.
• Eat healthy foods.
• Get enough sleep.
• Take breaks throughout the day.
• Manage stress.
• If you are struggling, seek help.

Wrapping Up.

Employee wellbeing is an important topic that deserves attention from L&D professionals. We hope that this article provides L&D professionals with the information they need to start integrating employee well-being into their work. Thank you for reading!