Why HR Doesn’t Have Time to Think About a Wellness Strategy & What It's Costing Your Company - Multi-part series: Ft. Jeff Tobe

Inspired by, and featuring exclusive content from our Sept. 2022 Virtual Wellness Intensive with special guest, Jeff Tobe, Innovation and Customer Experience Expert, Certified Speaking Professional, and Best-Selling Author. Jeff is the author of the wildly popular book, “Coloring Outside the Lines” and his newest book, The CX Edge: Critical Customer Experience Questions to Help You ATTRACT, WOW and KEEP Customers, is becoming one of the hottest business books on the market. 

Part 3a: Wellness = Employee Engagement = Customer Experience

Human Resources (HR) plays a crucial role in managing a company's most valuable asset: its employees. However, with the increasing demands of day-to-day operations, HR professionals often find themselves overwhelmed and unable to dedicate time to developing a comprehensive wellness strategy for their organization. This lack of attention to employee wellbeing can have significant consequences for a company, including decreased productivity, increased healthcare costs, and higher rates of employee turnover. Today, we will explore why focusing on wellness initiatives can save costs for companies, and why investing in a well-designed wellness program is critical for improving the overall employee experience. We'll also provide some practical tips on how HR professionals can prioritize wellness strategies and make a meaningful impact on their company's bottom line.

Wellness programs can take many forms, but they all have one goal in common: to support employees in all aspects of their lives. These programs can include everything from healthy eating and fitness options to mental health resources and mindfulness workshops. The big idea here is to create an environment where employees can thrive both at work and in their personal lives.

But how exactly can a wellness program change the employee experience? First and foremost, it can help employees feel valued and supported by their employer. When companies invest in the wellbeing of their employees, it sends a message that they are more than just a number on a payroll. It shows that the company cares about their health, happiness, and overall quality of life.

Furthermore, wellness programs can help reduce stress and burnout among employees. Work-related stress is a major problem in today's society, and has risen over time as individuals and their respective partners/spouses have needed to both leave the home and find work, work long hours, and/or even find a second job. The reasons behind having to do so, coupled with the number of hours they work, weigh heavily on employees, opening them up to experiencing a variety of physical and mental health issues. By providing resources and support for stress management, companies can help employees cope with the demands of their job and maintain a healthy work-life balance. This can lead to increased job satisfaction, lower turnover rates, and a more engaged workforce.

So why is employee experience so important? For starters, it can have a direct impact on the bottom line. Engaged employees are more productive, more innovative, and more committed to the success of the company. They are also more likely to provide excellent customer service, which can lead to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.

On the other hand, disengaged employees can have a negative impact on the company's reputation and profitability. They may be more likely to make mistakes, miss deadlines, or provide poor customer service. They may also be more likely to quit their job, which can lead to increased turnover costs and a loss of institutional knowledge. Post-pandemic, "quiet quitting" or "the great resignation" have become the new vernacular.

In short, investing in employee experience is not just a "nice-to-have" for companies. It's a strategic imperative that can impact the bottom line in a very real way. By creating an environment where employees feel valued, supported, and engaged, companies can improve productivity, reduce turnover, and increase customer satisfaction. The question is, how do we go about it, in a way that is both creative and impactful, AND in a way that really wows the customer too?

Jeff Tobe, professional speaker and author of the wildly popular book, ‘Coloring Outside the Lines,’ says we need to break out of our corporate conditioning, stating that, “when it comes to employee experience, part of being creative and coloring outside the lines is really about asking ourselves how we get past the ‘but that's the way we've always done it mentality,’ or TTWWADI”

Jeff’s advice is all about giving ourselves an alternative solution kick. And that, “maybe that's the way we've always done it, but there's always more than one right answer to every single challenge that you face in work. And I think that the key is to train ourselves to look for that second right answer,” he explains.

But how exactly does employee engagement affect your customer? To put it simply, engaged employees are more likely to provide excellent customer service. When employees feel invested in the success of the company, they are more likely to go above and beyond for customers. They may be more patient, more understanding, and more willing to spend extra time addressing the customer's needs. This can lead to a better overall customer experience, which can in turn lead to increased loyalty and profitability.

When it comes to creating wellness programs and the perceived costs for the organization to produce the best internal customer experience (those being your employees), Jeff says a path to the right solution is about maintaining perspective. “I love to say this: see the world from your customer's eyes and you'll see the way your customer buys. Are we looking at things from their perspective?” 

To be continued...

Be on the lookout for Part 3b -- the next blog in this multi-part series!

By eLifestyle President, Blogger, Wellness Culture Synergist & Executive Wellness Expert, Robb Armstrong

➡️ To view our full Sept. 2022 Virtual Wellness Intensive Replay, CLICK THE LINK:

https://www.elifestyle.ca/elifestyle-online-intensive-signup-for-replay-sept-2022-1

➡️ Interested in a Workplace Wellness Plan for your organization? Book a 30-min. consultation with eLifestyle CEO, Wellness Culture Synergist and Executive Wellness Expert, Leah Epstein Armstrong!

https://calendly.com/elifestyle/connecting