Why measuring workplace wellbeing is now more important than ever

In the COVID scenario, leaders are learning about the power of wellbeing in the workplace. In a recent webinar with Teamgage, the positive leadership expert Sue Langley discussed with our CEO Noelle Smit the importance of measuring wellbeing during these times.  

“You can't just measure and do nothing, you can't just do everything and not measure it. It won’t work until you bring both together.”  
Sue Langley   

What is workplace wellbeing?  

According to the Australian HR Institute, wellbeing is a measure of a person’s happiness, psychological, emotional, and mental state. It is related to how satisfied an employee feels at work.  

Even before the pandemic crisis, measuring wellbeing was something that was studied across the globe both from the individual and community perspectives. An example of that is the World Happiness Report, a landmark survey of the state of global happiness. Sadly, most studies only focus on the individual, ignoring that the organizational context plays a crucial role in the wellbeing of an individual.  

How do you improve workplace wellbeing  

To improve workplace wellbeing, you can adopt some simple work practices:  

• Give your employees flexibility to work from home  
• Offer some exercise online classes like yoga or stretching  
• Encourage your employees to take breaks during the day  
• Have open conversations about mental health  
• Get feedback on their mental state  
• Run team building day sessions online  

You can also follow these 6 steps to improve workplace wellbeing.  

How to measure workplace wellbeing  

There is no doubt that measuring the things that are most pressing in the workplace reduce stress and it helps create flourishing environments.  

The latest insights from our data team shows that there is a 10% boost in Teamgage response rates when our customers update the metrics that they are measuring. Some of the most popular metrics include:  

• Working remotely  
• Support  
• Adaptability  
• Flexibility  
• Safety  
• Communication  

Without measuring workplace wellbeing, it is almost up to luck whether the initiatives you put in place will work or not. Measuring is a powerful way to keep you focused and on track. It creates rhythms and discipline to keep you focused.   

Why measuring workplace wellbeing is important  

At Teamgage, we witness that teams that measure issues can improve them. You cannot address things if you do not know what the problems are. Therefore, you cannot understand people’s problems if you do not ask them what is going wrong.  

The root cause of wellbeing is the ability for individuals to raise and address issues. In the very unpredictable COVID situation, what we can do in a team environment at work is give every team member a little bit of sense of control over their own world. Creating a safe environment and giving power to people to raise issues is a huge part of feeling empowered in your day.  

Remember Teamgage can help with workplace wellbeing  

Learn how Teamgage can help you to measure wellbeing and other critical metrics to your workplace.

Watch the full workplace wellbeing webinar:  

Sue Langley is the CEO and Founder of the Langley Group, keynote speaker, global consultant and positive leadership expert. Sue specialises in the practical applications of neuroscience, emotional intelligence and positive psychology, synthesising the science and research into simple, practical tools that anyone can use.   

Noelle Smit is Co-founder and COO of Teamgage. She is also passionate about seeing more women in technology and leadership roles and help inspire the next generation through her board role at HerTechPath.